


Everybody wants to rule the world

by Kahnah



Series: Royalty Verse [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Gen, It's pretty dark, Suicidal Thoughts, i guess, king!au, royalty!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-24
Updated: 2014-08-12
Packaged: 2018-01-20 16:03:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 117,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1516619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kahnah/pseuds/Kahnah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was said that the kings laugh could cure even the worst sickness. Just by hearing his deep, rough bark you would feel better and the demons inside your body would flee.<br/>While listening to it Ray could almost believe it to be true and couldn't stop his own grin from forming.</p>
<p>My own interpretation of the King LPs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. King Geoff

_ Everybody Wants To Rule The World _

 

1\. King Geoff

 

_I used to rule the world;_

_seas would rise when I gave the word_

 

It was said that the kings laugh could cure even the worst sickness. Just by hearing his deep, rough bark you would feel better and the demons inside your body would flee.

While listening to it Ray could almost believe it to be true and couldn't stop his own grin from forming.

The evening sun fell bright and golden through the high windows into the throne room where the quick feet of the Jester flew over the thick, green carpet and made the bells on top of his shoes ring.

Currently he was juggling five balls far above his head, while dancing and turning, not losing a single step. After a few rounds through the room he stopped, letting the balls fall into his left hand where they disappeared one after another. Confused he was looking around, playfully searching for them as Ray couldn't stop a chuckle over the dumb look on his face.

He himself was sitting behind the king, his chin sloppily resting against the hilt of his rapier, his feet stretched comfortable. Something he never considered doing at his work but he knew the king didn't mind, even told him to relax some more. Also he had stood for the past hours as a guard right here on the spot and his feet hurt.

Watching as the jester lifted his hat and bowed deeply before the king the chime got a bit louder before he tried to put the hat back on and the missing balls poured out, hitting him on his head.

Now Ray started to giggle even when it was swallowed by the kings laugh that was loud and sincere while echoing through the big room. The red wine in his goblet nearly spilling on the throne.

The heavy doors opened and a tall men with broad shoulders and a bright red beard walked in, not in the slightest surprised by the sight in front of him.

“Ah Jack!”, the king announced. “Is it already time?”

“It is indeed. But fear not, I don't bring much work today.”

“You always say that but I don't trust your words anymore.”

“It's the only way to get you to work, so forgive me.”, Jack replied with his deep voice, laying down some scrolls. Sighing the king stood up, giving his knight a quick smile: “You are dismissed. Have a nice evening, Ray.”

Also getting onto his feet he bowed quickly: “You too, my liege.”

“Only if you prepare a feast for my dearest friend Jack.”

“I can eat and control your work at the same time, Geoff.”, the man replied dryly. “Something I learned long ago.”

“Jack of all trades.”, the Jester mumbled under his breath but still managed to catch the ball with his hat when Ray tossed it to him, before leaving the throne room. He could hear the chimes of the bells close behind him until the king yelled he should clean his mess up before heading out.

Chuckling to himself Ray headed to his quarters in one of the many towers of the castle, changing out of his black uniform and into comfortable clothes before adding his cloak on top of it.

It was a gift from the king when he found out how much his knight loved the color red. The banner of the Ramsey-kingdom was green with hints of gold in it and those colors was found everywhere in the kingdom, so red was in no way part of the uniform and let him stick out quiet a bit. As a result Ray was often addressed as the red knight or the knight of roses, like the brooch that clasped the cloak together.

At the beginning the whole thing was a bit embarrassing but he was hardly seen without the cloak. It was a gift from King Geoff after all and to wear it was a great honor!

Stepping back out he walked down the stairs, grabbing something to eat from the kitchen and heading out onto the roof of the dinning hall. In the morning the maiden would put up the laundry and collecting them in the afternoon but now it was just a big open space where the evening sun warmed the bricks enough to sit down. Letting his legs dangle of the edge he began eating his bread, looking over the kingdom that lay before him, strong and healthy.

Green flags, golden by the light, were waving in the summer wind while the market was getting empty and the salesmen were closing their shops, barricading them until the next day. Among those people, some figures in dark gowns mixed in and he frowned at the sight of them.

A green glove appeared in the corner of his eyes, doing a quick movement before presenting him a rose. Surprised Ray turned his head, finding the Jester standing right behind him: “One day I will find out how you can be so damn quiet if you want to.”

“No you will not.” Now the bells rang when he sat down next to the knight, still offering the flower: “Take it or I throw it away. I still had one up my sleeve.”

“Thanks.” Carefully to not touch the thorns he took the rose, taking the color in that matched his cloak.

“Where's my boy?”, the jester asked, laying on his back, letting his hat fall off and revealing his sandy hair.

“Michael is training and he will come when he is finished. You know that.”

“But I already miss him!” Kicking with his legs the bells chimed over the roof and again Ray wondered how that boy could sometimes be so sneaky.

“You sound like a girl in love, dumbass.”

Rolling onto his stomach and somehow getting his hat back on his head, he greeted the new boy that stepped on the roof: “Good evening, Michael!”

Carrying a big broadsword on his back, the hands in the pockets he still wore his leather armor. The red curls sticking on his sweaty forehead, before he brushed them away: “But knowing you, you probably are.”

Grinning the Jester sat up, letting his friend take a seat next to him.

“Pass that food, would you Ray? I am starving.”, Michael announced, carefully placing his weapon next to him and quickly catching half of the bread.

“Hey Gavin. Would you take a look at those people at the marketplace?”, the knight asked, watching the jester placing his hat on Michaels head, before turning his attention back to Ray.

“The ones in black?”

“Exactly. How many would you say are there.”

Crouching he leaned forward and Ray tried to not get nervous by how close the jester was to the edge, not being bothered by the height at all. For someone apparently clumsy he had an amazing sense of balance and knew exactly how far he could go and not fall down. Also his eyes were sharp like those of a hawk.

“Seven.”, he declared. “Seven at the marketplace but I count atleast three in alleys all around the place.”

“You're still worried about Geoffs new rule?”, Michael asked, his mouth full, while trying to spot the strange figures. But with his bad eyesight he had no chance.

“The one to kill the king shall become the new one!”, Gavin laughed. “The one to take my head may call himself _dominus princepsque omnium regum_ – master and chief of all kings!”

“Geoff really has some guts.”, Michael chuckled. “Or he was just drunk of his ass again.”

“Since he added that rule all kind of strange folks are gathering in the city.” As the only one of the three Ray sounded not amused: “I can't believe Jack didn't talk this out of him.”

“Not even Jack is almighty.”, the jester joked, sitting back down.

“Don't worry about all those filthy vagabonds, buddy.” Patting his sword next to him Michael swallowed the last bit of his bread: “Before they come so far as the throne room they have to get through me and Mogar. And I can't wait for them to try that! Also I heard stories about Geoff. He's a great swordsman and can protect himself.”

“That was years ago. Now he's just an old drunkard.”, Gavin added and got slapped with his own hat.

“Don't talk about your king like that!”

“I'm sorry, Michael!”

“Anyway I don't think you have to worry about that, Ray. Geoff has been king since decades and it will stay like that. Our knights are all over the castle, and I will slay anyone who gets too close. As his chosen warrior that is my job actually! Even if someone gets through me, there is always some guard next to the king. Mostly you and Jack and that has its reasons. We are all good fighters, there to protect Geoff. Well, besides Gavin who would be absolutely useless.”

“I would not be! I can fight better then Jack!”

“As if!”, Ray snorted. “I saw this man lift his battleaxe like it's nothing. That thing weights more than you!”

Pouting the jester let his bells ring before turning to Michael: “I am sure you could beat Geoff!”

“Of course I could!”, he announced. “But I don't want to be king, so I don't care.”

“But Michael, you would be a great king!”

“Oh shut up!”

“King Michael!”

“I'm gonna throw you off the roof if you betray King Geoff once more!”

“I got it, I got it!”, laughing, Gavin sat up, looking over the darkening marketplace. “Also you can't kill Geoff. He's an immortal one.”

“That's just a dumb fairytale.”

“No it's not!”, the jester disagreed. “When you die you will be thrown into the nether to pay for your sins! But if your will is strong enough and you can hold onto your mind there is a possibility to find a portal that leads back into this world! Geoff told me so himself!”

“He told you that because you act like a little kid and he hoped you would fall asleep.”, Ray replied flat.

“Michael what do you say?”

Stretching the warrior stood up, letting his eyes roam over the city before he shrugged: “If it's true Geoff might be the only one who can do it. But let's not find out.” Picking the heavy weapon from the ground he gave them a quick wave: “I am going to wash myself and change out of this armor. See you guys for dinner.”

Watching him leave the jester turned his attention back to the knight whos eyes still scanned over the city: “Seriously Ray, you think about this too much. Sure it wasn't the smartest move of Geoff but it won't get bad. A few people will try to get into the castle but none of them will actually pass the guards and even though Michael has a loud mouth he would never let someone near Geoff. He never had your disciple but he is one of the best fighters we have. Stop worrying!”

“You are probably right. Let's hope it will all calm down a bit in the next weeks.”

“I'm sure it will. But it's a fun thought! You would also make a great king!” Gavin jumped to his feet, walking on the edge: “You certainly would change the banners!”

“Well I can't deny that!”, Ray chuckled. “But Geoff is a great king. We are lucky we have him.”

“That's true.” Spinning around on his heels Gavin let the bells chime: “If you could change one thing about him, what would it be?”

“I don't know. Never really thought about that.” Just that this was a lie. He would change Geoffs laid back nature. If he would be a bit stricter with his people there would be more respect for him. And people wouldn't even dare to storm the castle.

“Yeah, we should just be glad that we have Geoff I guess.” Putting his hat in the right position he shot the knight a grin: “I will also change and then go to get something to eat. See you later!”

 

 

The next day started like any other day while Ray followed the king around, watching him eat and guarding him by a meeting with a local farmer before returning to the throne room. Hunching over his work in form of scrolls the king rather talked about mindless things and Ray still had not yet the courage like Jack to remind him as to what he should do. So he answered politely but short, catching Gavins grin from the other side of the room.

The jester was usually found here because the king was fond of his presence but he wasn't allowed to entertain Geoff while he was working. Order from Jack.

So he just sat in the corner and practiced some magic tricks. Currently he was letting cards disappear before shaking them from his shoes, folded into little birds.

Lazily the knight watched him, trying to figure out his trick but as always Gavins finger were just to fast too follow with his eyes.

But that was why he was a knight and the boy the jester.

A loud knock interrupted them as one of the guards of the hallway stepped in, bowing down: “Message from the gates, my king!”

Glad to get distracted from his work Geoff looked up: “What is it, Renard?”

The man looked nervous and took a deep breath before continuing: “Apparently there is a vagabond lurking there since the night, demanding to see you.”

“And what would he want?”

“He wants to fight you for the crown.”

“Then let him in.”, announced the king.

The stack of cards fell from Gavins hand, cascading to the floor as he looked up.

“A-are you sure?”, Renard asked perplexed, he hadn't expected that answer at all.

“Do you doubt the words of your king?”

“Of course not!” Still he halted for a moment, searching Rays baffled look before heading out, not even closing the door.

“Finally!”, Geoff announced, standing up and started to stretch his arms. “I feared nobody would have the guts to face me!”

Still bewildered the knight got to his feet slowly. He had never considered that the foe could just walk up to them like that. “My king..?”, he asked carefully.

“What is it, Ray?”

“A-are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course I do!”, finally feeling the numbness fading he hurried to the side of the older man. “But what if that vagabond works with dirty tricks! What if he hurts you?”

“I will strike him down before he gets the chance for that!”, Geoff announced with a laugh but haltered when the knight sank on his knees in front of him, holding up his rapier.

“Let me fight, my liege! I beg you!”

“You think I can't win a simple fight?”

“You chose me to stay by your side and protect you from harm! That's what I am doing now! So I beg you to let me handle this man!”

Putting his hands on the weapon the king sighed: “I am moved by your offer and it confirms that I was right, choosing you for this work, knight of roses, but I fear my pride won't allow me to do so.”

“Geoff!”

“I have decided, Ray.”

Seeking help the knight looked for the jester, but found his place empty. Only the cards remaining scattered carelessly.

“Please take your place.” The king moved past him, sitting down on his throne: “And don't leave it no matter what happens. This is not your fight.”

“I don't think I ca-”

“It's an order from your king but also a request from me, because I consider you a friend. Please, Ray? Will you do as I say?”

Slowly getting back on his feet he marched with his waving, red coat and stood right behind the throne but closer to Geoff than usual so he could actually hear when he whispered: “Thank you, Ray.”

He didn't get a chance to answer when the door opened fully and six guards poured in, a man in their middle.

The knight recognized the dark cloak as the stranger put down his hood, revealing a sharp face behind it. A smirk formed on his lips as he bowed down: “A pleasure to meet you, King Ramsey.”

“What is your name, vagabond?”

“Forgive my rudeness! It is Haywood, my liege and I traveled far to be here today.”

“I see.” With a wave of his hand Geoff dismissed the guards and waited until only the three of them remained in the throne room: “So you want my crown, Haywood?”

“That would be my goal, my liege. I heard of your new law and saw my chance. If you would be so kind and allow me to strain my luck?”

“You will need more than luck to slay me.”, drawing his sword out of its sheath where it had rested for the longest time, he pointed it at the stranger with ease. This was the first moment where Ray dared to take a breath. The blade caught the light of the sun and shimmered blue. It was formed of the rarest material found in the kingdom; diamonds. Masterfully forged by Jack it could cut through nearly everything but was still light and easy to guide.

By now the knight had only saw two diamond weapons. The huge battleaxe only Jack could carry and Michaels Mogar – both strong and deadly for their foes. So it was an even bigger shock when the vagabond revealed his sword to be of the same material as those, even having black runes run all over the blade, obviously impregnated with magic.

Lowering his weapon, Geoff halted: “And where would you have an enchanted sword from, vagabond?”

“The world is big, your highness and I've been to a lot of places.” Taking a step forward, he shifted his weight and brought the deadly weapon to point at his enemy: “You can still just give me the crown and save your life.”

“I will never go back from my words.”

“I never expected something else from a king that carried the Ramsey name.” Darting ahead the swords clashed together, Geoff stumbling two steps back by the sheer force before he caught himself and pushed the stranger from him.

Eying the enemy carefully, they revolved around each other, placing their feet like they were dancing before the king sprinted forward, blade easily ripping through the thick, dark fabric of the other. Just as easy as the vagabonds blade biting into his sides, forcing a gasp out of Geoffs mouth.

Ray took a hasty step forward before he reminded himself of his promise, while his hands found the handle of his rapier when Haywood kicked his king, letting him fall to the ground while pretty red drops sprayed in the air.

Violently grabbing his hair the vagabond forced the king to look up to him: “I'm a bit disappointed King Geoff. After all this big talk you were just a drunkard.”

Still holding onto his sword the king tried to get back on his feet as the other blade stabbed into his chest, making his body go limp.

A scream ripped from Rays throat as he started to run, drawing his rapier without a second thought, ready to take the head of the stranger. A hand grabbed his coat and that made him stop, letting his weapon rest against the throat of the vagabond.

“Heed my warning, King Haywood.”, Geoff whispered, still clinging to Ray. “Blood begets blood and the crown sings for it.” His grip slipped away but none of the others reacted to the soft thump when the old king fell to the ground.

Watching him with cold blue eyes the vagabond finally began to speak: “The old king is dead so lower your sword!”

Rays face turned into a furious mask, not making a single move or breaking the eye contact when the big doors blasted open. He recognized Michaels gasp behind Gavins high scream as both of them stumbled past him, calling out for Geoff before kneeling beside his body.

“Lower your sword, knight or it's off with your head!”, the vagabond ordered and for a moment the rapier shook until Ray heard Michael draw Mogar, knowing that they had the upper hand now.

“Was that you?”, the warrior growled. “Did you kill our king?”

“In a fair fight and by his rule I am now your king.”

“I will never bow down to you!”, Michael screamed, ready to attack when another voice interrupted them.

“Stop that!” Jack walked in, his voice deep and raspy: “Lower your sword, Ray. You too Michael.”

Catching Jacks eyes Ray knew that there was no point in talking back even though he wanted nothing more than to rip of the throat of the vagabond and bath in the red of it. But he trusted Jack enough to realize that it would be foolish.

Slowly he stepped back, noticing the wet sound his boots made on the carpet before putting his rapier into it's sheath.

“What is your name, your highness?”

The man before him turned around, watching the bearded one come closer: “Haywood.”

“Long live King Haywood then.”, bowing down carefully he stopped. “I am the old kings counselor and blacksmith, you may call me Jack. Your arm seems to be hurt.”

“Nothing but a scratch.”

“Why don't you sit on your throne and let me take care of this... this mess?”

“You dirty traitor!”, Gavin yelled. Surprised that his friend could get this loud, Ray turned around, seeing the horror for the first time.

The green carpet was stained red, even darker then the roses he knew. Gavin sat in the middle of it, letting Geoffs head rest in his lap, angry tears in his eyes: “You were his best friend! How can you betray him like that!”

“Shut your mouth fool!”, Jack growled. “The old king is dead and by his rule we have to obey the new one!”

Chuckling darkly Haywood passed the young men and sat down on the throne, not minding the hateful looks he was getting.

“Michael.”, Jack continued. “Go and get some guards to clean up here.”

Ray shot a look to his side, seeing the warrior clenching his teeth, not moving a step, only looking up when Jack stood right before him. “I said; get out of here.”, he whispered sharply and with tight fists Michael rushed past him, his armor stained red.

“Gavin.”

“I won't listen to you!”, the jester declared.

“Your king is hur-”

“My king is dead.”, he spat out, tears now running down his face.

“Your king is hurt.”, Jack continues quietly. “So go and get a doctor. Right. Now.”

“Do as he says. Please.”, Ray muttered, getting a dirty look from the jester, before he crouched over the dead body, whispering some unheard words.

Gently letting the head rest in its own blood Gavin stood up and slowly walked out.

“Thank you, Ray. Why don't you go and see if the kitchen can prepare something for the king. I'm sure he is hungry.”

“Of course.” He couldn’t wait to leave this room and had to actually control himself to not run for the door. As gracefully as he could he stepped out, closed the heavy gates and turned to the right to find the jester standing in front of him.

Gavins eyes were big and scared even thought he wanted to sound angry: “Why did you agree with Jack? He's a traitor!”

Grabbing his arm the knight lead him down the hallway until he was sure nobody could hear them, before slamming him against the wall: “Don't you dare insult Jack! He just saved all of our lives!”

“He did not!”

“He did! If he wouldn't have taken control that vagabond might have executed us right then and there!”

“I don't care! Geoff is dead, Ray! Geoff is gone!”

“Please calm down Gavin. Please!”

Taking deep breaths the jester tried to cover his face only to stop seeing his bloody hands. His green uniform was coated in it and it was dripping from the bells on his shoes, leaving a trail down the hallway.

“Go and clean up. I'll take care of the doctor.”, Ray whispered gently, letting go of the boy.

“You too.”, Gavin sniffed and for the first time the knight took a look at himself. His boots were drenched in blood and a clear hand print was on his coat, darker than the red.

He had seen more than enough of that color today.

Taking a step forward Gavin wrapped his arms around him, taking a shaking breath: “Thank you, Ray.”

“No need to. Now hurry up.”, squeezing his shoulders for a moment he let the jester go and made sure he would get to his room, before hurrying down the stairs. He didn't mind the traces he left behind and people turning around at the sight of him.

He first would get his job done and return to his post as fast as possible. Jack was all alone in the room with Haywood and the dead king right now, only to protect them all.

So as soon as he sent a guard after the doctor and scared the poor maiden around the kitchen he found himself back in front of the door, taking a big breath before entering the throne room.

He froze on the spot, seeing as they just carried out Geoffs body and waited quietly until they passed him, before he stepped in front of the throne.

“Your food as well as a doctor will soon arrive, my king.”, he announced with a slight bow.

“Thank you, knight.”, Haywood replied and without another word Ray took his place right next to Jack, who just threw him a thankful look.

This day was going to be a long one.

 

When the king dismissed him, the sun had already set so he wasn't sure if he would find the other two at their usual place but as he stepped onto the roof of the dining hall he could hear faint whispering.

Michael turned around as he got closer, his eyes angry but got soft immediately as he recognized him: “We were waiting for you.”

“Thanks.” He sat down next to the jester: “I'm sorry for your loss.”

Nodding the boy stared blankly ahead. He was slumped against the warrior who had an arm wrapped around him.

“What should we do now?”, Michael asked quietly.

“We do our work.”, Ray replied cold. “For now we just do our work and then we will see. We will come up with a plan somehow.”

He hoped his own words would contain the truth, because right now he felt weak and powerless.

And he wouldn't believe that the new king would be as gentle as Geoff had been.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys like this chapter - it was just some sort of Prolog and I will promise that the next chapters will be better! So look forward for them!  
> The song for King Geoff is "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay~


	2. King Ryan 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was strange how normal his days went by. He stood up, changed into his uniform and went to catch breakfast, before he stepped into the throne room. Greeting his king he went to stand on his post.
> 
> That stayed the same, like nothing really happened. But the hours passed by oh so slow. King Haywood was a quiet man that worked hard, quite the opposite of King Geoff.

2\. King Ryan

 

_I'll seek you out, flay you alive;_

_one more word and you won't survive_

 

It was strange how normal his days went by. He stood up, changed into his uniform and went to catch breakfast, before he stepped into the throne room. Greeting his king he went to stand on his post.

That stayed the same, like nothing really happened. But the hours passed by oh so slow. King Haywood was a quiet man that worked hard, quite the opposite of King Geoff.

Right now he was reading the records of his kingdom, trying to memorize them, while absentmindedly eating his breakfast. The only noise was the sound of approval he sometimes made before turning to another piece of paper.

Something else that had changed was that Gavin wasn't here. Since Geoffs death he didn't place a foot in this hall. The new king didn't seem to be that interested in a jester and Ray had already wondered more than once if Gavin would be banned from the castle soon.

“You are the one they call the knight of roses, right?”

Ripped from his thoughts he needed a moment: “My king?”

“I heard people talk about a knight of roses or the red knight. That would be you, I assume.”

“It's a nickname I carried around for some time now.”

“Then you will be happy to hear that I decided to change the banner of this country. Red is quite a powerful color, suited for such a strong kingdom.”

“I see.”

Haywood went back to reading and a bit confused Ray remained quiet. That was the first time the king had spoken to him about something personal. He wasn't sure what he was willing to accomplish through that or if it was just curiosity. After all they spend some hours together each day.

“The young man with the diamond sword on the day I took the throne...”, Haywood continued. “Who was that?”

“His name is Michael Jones, my liege.”

“Tell me about him.”, he demanded, not looking up from his records.

Biting his tongue, Ray hesitated. Michael was his friend since his childhood days and he had no intend to betray him by telling this man his secrets and thoughts. So he sticked with what the records would reveal anyway: “He's one of our finest warriors. Strong as ten men and a master with his broadsword. Like myself he was a knight but King Geoff saw his potential and trained him to be one of his best men.”

“And the diamond sword?”

“A gift by King Geoff.”

“Is he a friend of yours?”

Again Ray stopped, questioning the intend of those words before he answered: “One of my best and oldest ones.”

“Then let him know that I want to see him train in a few days. He should be prepared to show me his best form.”

Feeling his heart skip a beat his mouth got dry: “I will notify him.” But something inside of him wanted to keep this man far away from his friends. That was a false hope though and he knew that.

“Tell me about the other man; the fool that nearly lost his head then and there.”

Clenching his fists he forced himself to answer: “He is the court jester. His name is Gavin.”

“He appeared to be very close to the previous king.”

Taking a deep breath, the knight tried to calm his heart, deciding not too reveal to much: “They spent a lot of time together. King Geoff was very fond of him.”

Haywood remained silent, before lowering the papers and turning around to face him. Ray felt himself grow cold as he looked into those dead eyes: “Don't lie to your king.”

His mouth opened to reply but he shut it close again as his mind raced, trying to think of an answer. Revealing the relationship between Geoff and the jester could mean Gavins death, but keeping quiet could cost him his own head.

His eyes wavered to the papers on Haywoods desk, wondering how much he already knew.

Taking a shaking breath, Ray decided to take the risk: “I don't know the details because it was before my time here but while hunting with his closest men Geoff found Gavin alone in the woods. The king decided to take him in and raise him like his own child.”

A smirk slowly appeared on Haywoods face: “So he is the Prince Regent of the Ramsey-Household and King Geoff tried to protect him by hiring him as the jester.”

“It's not like that!”, Ray interrupted quickly, even taking a step forward. The king shot him a furious look but didn't say a word about his rude behavior.

“I beg you to believe me, my liege!”, the knight sputtered fast, feeling Gavins life slipping through his finger. “Gavin was never official announced as the kings son! Geoff said himself that he wouldn't be suited for such an honor and Gavin had never asked for this role! He wanted to become the jester, not the king! That's why Geoff, who had no successor, established this rule that lead you to be my king. Please! He is in no way your enemy!”

The cold eyes were still resting on him, a spark of interest in them, before he turned back around: “You seem to be a man with good friends as well as a trustworthy soul.”

“My words are true and without an ill intend, King Haywood.”

“Ryan.”

“Excuse me?”

“I allow you to call me Ryan.”

“That's a great honor, your highness.”, Ray replied slowly. He couldn't get to the bottom of this man. Was Gavin safe now?

The king wouldn't get him an opportunity to deepen his thoughts, as he waved at him: “Step forward and have a look at those records, Knight Of Roses.”

Doing as he was ordered, he stood next to the king, trying to get an overview of all the documents resting on the table.

“The number of these troupes, is this correct?”

“I am not absolutely sure but it seems like that. But as I don't wanna fool you, you should also talk to Jack. He is more familiar with the military.”

“I will do that. It's a rather large army for a country that hasn't seen a war for over a decade.”

Now that he thought about that, it was true: “I guess that's correct.”

“Interesting. Now would you please inform Jones?”

“Right away.” Leaving the throne room relieved, Ray quickly went to the training grounds, looking over the soldiers until he found the familiar redhead. Making his way through the crowd, which gave him the space he needed upon seeing his red coat, he caught Michaels look.

Sitting on a bench, his beloved sword resting against his arms, he smiled: “What are you doing here?”

“Not being as lazy as you are apparently.” Snorting Michael offered him the seat next to him: “To inform you, I just had a fight.”

“Sure thing.” Sitting down Ray sighed with relief. The chair he usually sat in had been removed, so he had to stand the whole day and his feet already hurt from it. Growing serious again he lowered his voice: “The king wants to see you.”

Michael shot him a worried look: “What does he want?”

“He wants to see you fight and will join a training soon.”

“Then he will see a show he won't forget!”, the warrior growled, patting his sword. “You watched the fight between him and Geoff, right?”

Quietly the knight nodded, not feeling all to comfortable with the topic.

“How is King Haywoods fighting style?”

“Fast and powerful. He didn't hesitate to kill.”, Ray replied, remembering how quickly the fight had ended.

“Is he stronger than me?”, Michael asked casually but made sure that no one was around to eavesdrop.

“I am not sure. You two could be on a similar level but his weapon is stronger than yours.”

Surprised the warrior raised his eyebrows: “Stronger than my Mogar?”

“It's a magic sword. I saw the runes on it.”

“Damn. I don't know shit about magic and enchantments.”, he admitted. “Gavin or Jack might know a few thi-”

“I don't think you would win.”, Ray said bluntly, feeling the furious eyes on him. Michael had a really short temper and he wondered if he had stepped over a line. But the young man just took a deep breath to calm down and watched as the other soldiers moved in calculated steps, fighting like a dance.

“I will train some more then, you should also go back.” He stood up but Ray caught his arm, forcing him back down: “King Haywood knows about Gavin.”

Rage flashed dark over Michaels face as he clenched his teeth: “He won't lay a finger on him.”

“I know and I don't think he will. But we both have to look after him now.”

“Thanks for letting me know.” Shaking off the hand of his friend he finally stood up.

“Michael?”

Stopping, he turned back to the knight, his eyes softening when he recognized the worried look on his face: “Sorry Ray.”

“Don't do anything stupid.”

“I won't. Really.” Scratching the back of his head he lowered his eyes: “It's just that I still can't believe that Geoff could be killed so easily. He always seemed to be so incredible strong.”

“I know. It's like a bad dream.”

“You should get back.”, turning around the warrior disappeared in the crowd. Taking another minute to organize his thoughts, Ray took a big breath before returning to his post.

 

Four days later he took the same route, following the king down to the training grounds. Even more soldiers seemed to be there and still the place got dead quiet when the king arrived. He didn't even bother to break the silence with some words, just stared down on his cortege, until some of them got shoved out of the way as Michael showed up.

He caught the eyes of Haywood without fear as the general began to raise his voice, ordering the others to step from the battleground. A few minutes later the preparations were complete and Michael faced one of his fellow soldiers.

It was a quick fight for domination, which he won with brute force, nearly beating his partner in the first three strikes. He held himself back a bit after that, showing that he could block each attack with ease until he got serious again. His muscles clearly visible, he took a mighty swing, actually knocking his enemy from his feet even though he just used a wooded sword instead of Mogar.

The moment the other man hit the ground, Michael turned around, staring the king straight in the eye. Without saying a word Haywood turned on his heels, making his way back to the castle. Ray gave his friend a thumbs up before he followed his king, hearing the cheers starting behind him after a few steps.

That was certainly a show that King Haywood wouldn't forget and if Michael would have actually used Mogar the damage would've been much greater. The sheer weight of the heavy weapon would shatter bones on contact. The sharp sides of the blades weren't even necessary to kill.

“Ray.”

“Yes, my liege?” He still shivered a bit every time this cruel man said his name so casually. As if a hidden threat laid under this word.

“For the next three days I want you to memorize the records of this kingdom, for that I will discharge you from your other work.”

Surprised the knight hurried to walk next to the king: “I don't think I understand..?”

“You will be my new counselor.”

“But Jack i-”

“Jack will leave this kingdom in the next week.”

Rays steps fell silent as he stood still, trying to progress those information. The king seemed to notice and turned around to him, again a smirk on his face: “Any objections?”

“I-”, he began but closed his mouth. The fragile routine seemed to shatter after he worked so hard to put it back together after Geoffs dead. A kingdom without Jack?

This man knew more about this lands than the king himself!

“Are you sure this is a wise decision?”

“Of course it is.” Walking ahead the king reached the castle, Ray quietly behind him, his mind racing, trying to wrap itself around this new situation.

“You should begin right away. For today I dismiss you.”

“King Haywo-”

“I told you to call me Ryan.”

“Ryan, I am honored but Jack is the be-”

The king stopped and his knight did the same, feeling the coldness as Haywood lay his blue eyes on him: “I won't go back on my words. From tomorrow on you have three days to memorize as much as you can. I expect only the best from you.”

“As you wish, your highness.”

 

The moment the king was safely in the throne room, Ray hurried down the stairs, knowing that he would find Jack in the blacksmith at this time of day. As he opened the door he was surprised to find no fire burning and no other soul besides Jack, sitting at a table in the back, looking up when he heard the steps.

“He banned you?”, Ray began breathless, feeling a faint fear of the future. Jack had always been the calm influence on the king and everyone around him, keeping things in check. Losing him at a time like this was a catastrophe!

“No, he did not.”, he answered, turning back to his work. “I decided to go by myself.”

“But why? Why do you leave us?”

“I will find Geoff and bring him back.”

The knight fell silent, watched as those big hands carefully polished a crown. Gold with deep red rubies, the spikes sharp like blades.

Smiling Jack looked up: “You were never one to believe in fairytales but this one is actually true. The Nether is a place of danger and flames and pain that will punish you for your sins but there are ways out. Geoff will find one and return, taking his throne back.”

“Jack...”

“Do you trust me Ray?”

He nodded, feeling his knees go weak. Jack would actually leave... but what if it was really true? What if there was a glimpse of hope that Geoff could return?

“Will you be my successor?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Haywood trusts you to some extent. How much time did he give you?”

“Three days from tomorrow on.”

Putting the crown down Jack laid a heavy hand on Rays shoulder: “I will teach you everything you need to know until then, after that I will leave. Don't worry; you are able to represent me without a doubt. Geoff saw the potential in you the moment you stepped into this castle.”

The blacksmith stood up, giving him a sign to follow him: “I will leave this kingdom to you while I am away. You have friends you trust and who will help you in these hard times, don't forget that. Still, don't do anything stupid if you don't need to. It's too early to foresee what Haywood will do with his power.”

Opening a cabinet he carefully placed the new crown in it, turning around to face Ray, watching as he took in the sight in front of him.

Before him rested three crowns. The simple, golden one of Geoff, the new, intimidating crown of Ryan and a highly decorated one. The gold was swirled with masterful skill to roses and silver thorns looped around them. Red shards looked like falling petals.

“I trust your skill to decide when things get out of order.” Closing the cabinet Jack carefully locked it, hiding the key in another shelf.

Taking a deep breath he ruffled through Rays hair, noticing his still shocked look: “I am sorry to force this upon you. I will come back as fast as I can.”

 

The next three days went by in a hasty mess. Jack would come to his room when the sun rose, bringing as much scrolls as he could carry in his big arms. Ray would read them over and over until the words didn't make sense anymore, that's when he was allowed to stop, take a quick break until Jack started to question him about every little detail.

The blacksmith would leave the room after the knight would've fallen asleep at the table, bringing him breakfast early in the morning to start all over again.

At the final day Rays head was hurting and even thought he knew he had memorized a lot, it was only a piece of Jacks knowledge of this kingdom.

“That will come with time.”, the other man calmed him down. “You have the most important things down and everything else you can find in my records. Haywood can't expect you to know everything in this short time but that doesn't mean you can rest. From now on you will have to check daily on the kingdom. Imagine this country as a living being. It moves, it breaths, it grows – every day. And your duty is to keep an overview of that to help your ruler. Try to think a step ahead. If there is a drought in the southern lands, what about the corn or the farm animals? Is it just a minor problem or should you inform the king about it? That's what you are going to do.”

Organizing the scrolls he sighed: “You know King Haywood better than I do, so you have to decide for yourself but I don't think he would like you to act on your own without his blessing. Geoff always gave me a lot of freedom to decide for myself but we both know how different those two men are.”

Nodding, the knight agreed, looking over all the scrolls they hadn't even touched yet: “I will try my best.”

“Haywood wouldn't have chosen you if he didn't see potential in you. And I know for sure that you can do it.”

“Thank you Jack. Really. For everything.”

“I put a lot of pressure on you, you shouldn't even think about being thankful. What I am asking of you is incredibly selfish.”

“Don't worry about it. Pay me back through bringing Geoff home. Preferably as fast as possible.”

“I will try my best.” Standing up Jack took the scrolls in his arms: “Now go to bed. Tomorrow is your first day as a counselor – you should get plenty of rest before that.”

 

In the end it wasn't as bad as he feared. For the most part of this day he stood at his place, watching the king work. Sometimes Ryan would stop and ask him a few random questions but his knight could answer them all. It were simple things, nothing too detailed and Ray was pretty sure he was just getting tested.

But the king seemed to be pleased, even a bit amused by him.

As the sun began to set Haywood stood up from his throne, walking to the windows to look over the castle grounds. He usually did that to take a quick break, but this time he checked on the work his servants did.

The once green Ramsey-kingdom got stained red. New banner and flags were risen all around them, predicting the changes that were bound to happen.

“Do you like the new look, red knight?”

“It's a beautiful color.”, Ray agreed.

“Red has always been a color of passion and power. There isn't a single more fitting color to represent this big country.” The smirk found its way back on his face as he turned around: “But I guess you already know that. You are dismissed, Ray.”

“As you wish. I wish you a good night, Ryan.”

“You too. Your friends seem to be already waiting for you.” He pointed out of the window where you could barely see the roof of the dining hall between the other buildings. He must have good eyes to make out more than shadows over this distance.

“Does it disturb you? We can also go-”

“Oh, don't be foolish! I don't mind it. It just caught my eyes a few days ago.”

“I see.” Bowing down he left the room, heading straight for the dining hall, finding the other two already sitting at the edge.

Michael turned his head when he noticed the steps, starting to smile immediately: “Long time no see!”

“Sorry. I had a lot of work to do.”

“As the new counselor that's no wonder.”, Gavin mumbled, staring straight ahead. After Geoffs death he mostly spent his time alone in his room, as the new king wasn't calling for him at all and he'd probably refuse anyway. He would only come out in the evening to sit here with them for a short time, not talking at all.

“Are you mad at me?”, the knight asked, feeling guilt form in his stomach. But Gavins head shot up, looking at him shocked: “No Ray! I am sorry, I didn't want to make it sound like that! You didn't really have a choice, did you?”

Relieved, he sat down: “Thank you. That means a lot.”

Giving him a smile the jester turned back to watch over the city to their feet. He clearly visible frowned at the red banner everywhere but not saying a thing.

Ray on the other hand looked to his right, seeing the throne room from here. But the setting sun reflected in the windows so he couldn't tell if the king was still watching them or if that should bother him. After all Ryan could only see them sitting here and if they would move a bit they would be out of his line of sight completely.

Michael shot him a confused look and quickly Ray lowered his eyes, turning his attention back to the jester. Even in the evening sun his skin was pale and his eyes dark, so he actually felt stupid as he asked: “How are you doing?”

Rising his shoulders he pulled his legs against his chest. No bells were ringing this time, because he wore the same simple boots as them. “I don't know. I was doing better but I am sad that Jack left.”

“Did he already go?”

“Yeah. He departed this morning, I just caught him by chance.”

Ray wasn't even surprised by the lack of goodbye. After all it wasn't a goodbye, he would come back soon.

“I can't wait until Geoff comes back and kicks Haywoods ass.”, Michael chuckled, a hint of worry in his voice.

“Geoff is strong.”, Gavin assured him. “He will make it out of the Nether in no time. He's probably already waiting for Jack.”

 

As Ray walked into the throne room a few days later, he was surprised to find Michael already in front of him. Was he too late today? But that couldn't be, he never was.

“Ah there you are, Ray.” The king waved him to his side and giving the warrior a confused look, Ray went past him, noticing his old chair standing besides the throne.

“Sit down.” Ryan gestured, his new crown sitting perfectly on top of his head: “I figured you didn't need to stand all day long.”

“That's... very kind of you.” He did as he was told, more worried for Michael who stood in full armor before them, Mogar resting above his left shoulder. Did he challenge the king? He promised to not do something so foolish! And with the hope of Geoffs return this was just plain stupid!

“I asked Jones to come and see me today.”, Ryan explained and Rays hands relaxed. He hadn't even noticed how hard he was gripping at the fabric of his uniform.

“For what purpose, my liege?”

“I wanted to talk about his performance in battle I was allowed to witness.”

Michael lifted his head a bit, his stand showing confidence and willpower: “Did you like what you saw?”

“I did indeed. You are a respectable warrior.”

A cocky grin showed on Michaels face and for a moment Ray was scared that now he would actually take action. His mouth had always been too big for himself.

“But I was disappointed that I wasn't able to see your actual sword in action.”

Confused, the smile fell: “I didn't want to hurt my partner, it was a training battle after all.”

“So how should I be sure that you can actually lead this weapon and not just use it as weight training.”

Ray could see the rage erupting in the eyes of the warrior as the snarl rose in his throat and quickly shook his head. Ryan seemed to notice, his dark smirk appearing.

“Sent me out then.”, Michael growled. He took a deep breath but his voice was still furious: “Sent me out into battle and I will slay every enemy you wish, King Haywood! This sword follows no ones hands like it does mine!”

“Are you willing to prove that?”

“Without hesitation!”

The moment those words left Michaels lips, Ray could feel the coldness in the room. In the face of his friend he could see the same realization: that the king just backed him into a corner with that.

“I am glad to hear that, Jones.” Raising from his throne the knight shot him a worried look. Did _he_ want to challenge Michael? Get him out of the way before he made to many problems?

“Open the door!” Someone had obviously waited for that order because it was carried out right away and a bunch of guards came in.

Trying to get a better overlook Ray sat up straight, seeing the warrior going into a battle stance having the same idea as him; that the king would sent him out against his own man.

Then a lonely woman walked in between them, her head lowered so that the long black hair hid her face. She was wearing a thin, simple dress and her hands were tied before her.

Her whole frame was shaking violently.

“Kill her.”

Michael spun around, his eyes wide: “What?”

“I told you to kill her.”

“Why?”

Ryan didn't react, so the warrior looked to Ray but the knight was as shocked as he was, his mouth slightly agape.

He turned back around to the woman, his confidence shattered: “I won't do that.”

“Ray. Take his sword.”

“I-”

“This has nothing to do with my battle ability!”, Michael screamed. “Killing an innocent woman proves nothing!”

“Who said that she is innocent?”, Ryan asked with a chuckle, enjoying the scene he was witnessing.

“Then what's her crime?!”

“That is none of your concern, so strike her down.”

The woman moved and Michael took a step away from her as if he expected an attack. She watched him with dark eyes in her pale face, tears silently falling.

“Don't worry. I won't hurt you.” The warrior spoke gently, a tone he usually only used with Gavin, before he turned around to the king: “Give me a real fight and I'll show you what I can do!”

“I did and you are not winning.”, Ryan replied with a smile.

“This is no fight! She is tied up and doesn't have a weapon! I won't strike down an innocent woman!”

“If you want to I will free her and give her a sword. That wouldn't make a change though.”

“Ryan.”, the knight stuttered, finally finding his voice back. His mind racing to find a solution but he was ignored by both of them.

“I won't-”

“You are repeating yourself, Jones!”

“Fight me!”, Michael screamed at the top of his lungs, drawing Mogar and throwing the sheath to the ground. “Fight me if you want to see my abilities! I will take your head with that fake crown of yours!”

“If he makes an attempt to attack me, go ahead and kill him, Ray.”, the kings voice left no room for objections as it echoed dead cold from the walls.

For a moment Ray forgot how to breath as Michaels eyes glanced at him, angry and scared like an animal backed into a corner, not even recognizing his friend. Then he turned to face the woman again, who still hadn't said a single word. Now he was the one shaking, trying to find a way out.

“Kill her now. That's an order from your king! Kill her or lose your sword!”, Ryan demanded, his voice so sharp that Ray actually flinched in fear.

Slowly Michael took a step towards the woman, who now closed her eyes and he stopped immediately. His heavy breathing the only sound in the room as he stood there, trying to make a decision, until he spoke with trembling voice: “I can't just...”

He stopped himself, covering his eyes with his hand as the king huffed disappointed.

“Take his sword. He doesn't have the heart of a warrior.”

Ray didn't dare to move an inch, too overwhelmed by the gruesome scene in front of him, while desperately trying to find a way out.

“Stand up and take his sword, knight!” Ryans words were like a sharp slap in his face and fearful he got on his feet, not exactly sure what action to take next. But the choice was taken from him when Michael lifted his sword and impaled it into the woman. The force and the weight of the weapon made her nearly fall over as her eyes got big and round and her mouth opened into a vocal scream, no tongue left to form any words. The warrior pulled his weapon back, dragging her body along with it, before catching her with his arm. She slumped against him, her tied hands searching for something to hold before he managed to support her full weight. Blood gushed down her legs, soaking the already red floor as Michael buried his face in her black hair.

The room was dead quiet besides the dripping sound coming from the woman, who had gone limp, her arms lazily dangling before her, the rope cutting in the skin. A shaking breath ripped from Michaels mouth as he gently guided her down, laying her on the floor, before getting back to his feet.

Without another word he marched through the guards and out of the throne room.

The silence lasted a few more moments before a dark chuckle rose from the king. Ray could feel the chill crawling down the spine at the sound of it, finally managing to stumble a step forward. Away from Ryan and towards Michael until he stopped himself.

“Guards, clean this mess up.”, King Haywood ordered, letting himself sink into his throne. Slowly Ray turned around to face him, confused and shocked by the gentle look on the face of his king: “Go ahead and catch up to him.”

“I-”

“I'm sure he needs a friend now, so I dismiss you for today.”

Ray was almost sure that the concern in Ryans voice was fake, it could only be a lie seeing the things he had just done, but it sounded honest. Maybe that was why he thanked him. He didn't want to, but his mouth was acting on its own, so he did, before turning around and running into the hallway.

Mogar was thoughtlessly dragged across the stone, leaving a line to follow, not that the warrior got that far by now.

His body moved slowly, the shake still visible by the hand that desperately held onto his weapon.

“Michael!”, the knight reached to grab him by his arm, but got shaken off immediately. His friend went on as if he hadn't even noticed the attempt and as Ray stood in front of him, his eyes were dark and cloudy.

His front was covered in blood, still dripping from his armor and taking in the place between his freckles.

“Michael. I am... I am sorry.” Again he reached out but the warrior pointed his sword at him, stopping him right then and there.

“Don't you dare to touch me, Ray.”, he whispered, his voice shaking with emotion.

“Alright. I won't.” Bringing his hands up for him to see: “But please let me help you. Let's go and get you out of your clothes.”

He violently shook his head but at least lowered his weapon.

“Also fine. How about we go and see Gavin?”, he tried to sound soothing, even though he wanted nothing more than to shake some form of sense into his friend. But he needed some help here.

“It's too early. He won't be on the roof.”, Michael said, his voice calming down a bit.

“Let's check on his room. He will be there.” At least he hoped so, but right now he couldn't think of any other places the jester could be.

Michael seemed to think the same, because he started moving towards Gavins chamber, Mogar again screeching across the stone. They walked in silence, the warrior leading the way and Ray tried to think of a way to help him, instead of replaying the scene that had just happened over and over again in his head.

What goal had Ryan in mind? What was the purpose of this all?

Did he just wanted to show off his power? Did he do it only for his entertainment?

He couldn't get rid of that picture of Michael pressing the lifeless body against his own.

“Ray.”

The knight looked up as his friend turned around to him, tears overflowing: “Why didn't you stop me?”

“I'm sorry.”

“You just stood there and stared at me. You didn't do a damn thing to stop me.”

Lowering his head, he searched for an explanation he didn't have, other than that it all went by so fast and that he wasn't ready for it. He still wasn't.

“Here.” Michael touched the knights forehead, drawing shaking lines: “Have the red that you love so much. It stains your skin as much as it does mine.” The warrior turned around, his feet dragging across the floor: “Please leave me alone.”

And that he did.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wah, I am really glad that so many of you guys like this little story! Makes me really happy!  
> The song I chose for the King Ryan chapters is "Eyes On Fire" by Blue Foundation, you should check it out!


	3. King Ryan 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since the day Michael had killed that nameless woman nobody had said another word about it. It was nearly as if it had never happened.  
> Only that it did.

3\. King Ryan

 

 

_And I'm not scared of your stolen power;_

_I see right through you any hour_

 

“The criminal-rate of the last year is so incredible high.”, Ryan mumbled. “Are those numbers right?”

Ray took a quick glance at them, before nodding.

Both of them were seated around a large, wooden table. Scrolls and maps scattered everywhere, while the king tapped on the paper: “How can that be?”

“With our current policy only heavy crimes get punished. Most criminals are not getting arrested or come free after a short time in prison.”, the knight explained, finishing up his notes before looking up. “King Geoff believed in the good of the human heart and figured punishment wouldn't be a solution.”

“That's such a naïve thought.”, the king said disbelieving and Ray mumbled an agreement before he realized it. Ryans eyes found his, actual surprise in them. Then the smirk appeared again, before he turned his attention back to his documents.

“I am also not a fan of prison.”, he continued. “It would just mean people sitting around, while we have to feed them. Those people could work instead. Give me that map of the kingdom.”

Ray reached across the table and laid it before his king. For a moment he studied it before he asked: “Where did you find diamonds in the past years?”

“Mostly here.” The knight pointed at a mountain in the east: “There is a mine but it's very dangerous because there are many lava seas underneath the surface, so the work is progressing slowly.”

“Other places?”

“Not really. We found some at the border to our neighboring country and some down in the big forest right here, south of the castle. There is also a mine but it mostly produces iron, but they stumble over diamonds and gold sometimes.”

Deep in thoughts Ryan fell silent and Ray took the chance to eat some grapes from the plate a maid had brought earlier. They had been sitting here for quiet a while now and he could feel his own tiredness, as well as see it in the kings face.

“We should move all the prisoners to the mine in the east.”, Ryan finally said, pointing to the mountain. “That way they have a purpose and mine more diamonds for us. The fear of this dangerous place would also keep the crime-rate in check.”

“I like the sound of that.”, Ray admitted, thinking about the preparations he had to make for that new law, missing the second surprised look the king shot him.

“It seems you weren't very fond of the old crime policy.”

“I do believe that people have to get punished for their crimes.”

“I agree.” Leaning back in his chair Ryan glanced outside the window, noticing the already set sun: “Go now, Ray. I am sorry for keeping you so long today.”

“It's not a problem. You should also rest soon.”

“I will consider it. Have a nice evening.”

“You too, Ryan. See you tomorrow.” Standing up, the knight left the room, feeling how exhausted his mind was. He would get something to eat before working on that new law. Not that he minded the extra work, he actually welcomed it.

Ryans idea about dealing with the criminals would certainly solve some problems, and sitting down all day with the king gave him an excuse not to see the other two.

Since the day Michael had killed that nameless woman nobody had said another word about it. It was nearly as if it had never happened.

Only that it did.

The king hadn't bothered to give an explanation the next morning, when Ray came to see him he had worked on his own plans like always and the knight hadn't dared to ask. A part of him feared that man and he knew that he wasn't the only one.

There were voices whispering about a reign of a mad king and the other guards wouldn't talk to Ray anymore, as he was the counselor and you could never be sure which words would reach the wrong ears.

He first noticed that when he went to get his food alone. Usually he would sit down with Gavin and Michael, but nowadays he was too late for that and so he sat on his own, feeling the glances on his back. Hearing the whispers when he passed the other people.

As far as he knew he wasn't the red knight anymore – he was the dog of the mad king.

Sitting down on a table in the corner, quietly eating his food he wondered if the other two were sitting above him. He hadn't bothered to check. Michael had asked him to leave him alone and that's what he would do.

That was as much as he could do.

After he was halfway done with his soup, the chattering in the room grew suddenly quieter, before turning into whispers. Looking up, his eyes caught something green passing him, a rare color nowadays.

Gavin sat down opposite of him, a long, silk scarf wrapped around his neck. It had the bright colors of the Ramsey-household.

“Do you think that is smart?”, the knight asked before continuing to eat.

“There is no rule against it, is there? It was a gift from Geoff. You are also wearing one.” He pointed at the red coat.

“I was referring to you getting seen with me.”

“Why wouldn't I?”

“I am the dog of the mad king. At least that's the name I hear the most nowadays.”

“You are Ray.”, the jester shrugged.“ And you should know that I don't care about rumors. Even less if those are lies.”

“Are they?”, the knight mumbled, finishing his bowl and putting it to his side. By the time he looked up Gavin was watching him worried.

“Will you come to the roof tomorrow?”, he asked, his smile falling when Ray shook his head.

“I don't think I can. There is too much wor-”

“We miss you.”, the jester interrupted him, leaning over the table. “Michael hasn't told me the whole truth about what happened a few days ago, so I don't really understand why you two aren't talking anymore but...”

“Sorry Gavin.” Standing up, Ray left the hall, feeling many eyes following him. One of it burned like fire between his shoulder blades.

 

It had been a short night while lying awake in bed, thoughts consuming the dark hours. So when Ray walked down the hallways after breakfast, he could already feel a headache forming. Hopefully it would pass over the day.

A pair of agitated voices made him look up, seeing Michael and Gavin walking in front of him. Or rather Michael talking to the jester, trying to keep up with him, while his friend didn't as much as look at him.

That was a highly unusual thing to see.

Rays feet moved faster as he noticed that Gavin didn't wore his jester uniform. Rather was he cloaked in silk fabric, the same scarf as yesterday around his neck; all of it in the green and gold colors of the Ramsey-household.

Both of them looked over their shoulders after hearing the nearing steps and for a moment relieve washed over Michaels face. “Ray...”, he pleaded and waited for him to catch up. His face was pale and he had dark rings under his eyes.

Ray gave him a worried look before he turned to Gavin, giving the guards a sign to stop closing in on them: “What's going on?”

The jester didn't reply, rather walked straight through the guards and laid hands on the heavy door leading to the throne room, giving both of his friends a challenging look.

The knight could hear a gasp coming from Michael and his own heart missed a beat. There was a sword dangling from the belt of the jester.

“Gavin!”, Ray called out but his friend didn't hesitate for a moment and pushed the door wide open.

“Shit!”, the knight ran after him, seeing how Ryan looked up from his own breakfast.

“King Haywood!”, the young man cried out, standing in front of the throne as the door closed with a heavy sound. Finally Ray caught up, grabbing him by the shoulder: “Gavin! What are you-”

Forcefully his hand got slapped away. “Don't you dare to touch me, Knight!”, Gavin ordered fiercely and Ray backed away. The eyes of his friend were determined and hard as steel.

Gavin turned his attention back to the other man: “King Haywood, I believe you know who I am!”

Putting his fork down, Ryan folded his hands and leaned back: “You are the Court Jester.” But as Gavin didn't lower his eyes and didn't bother to reply, the king began to chuckle to himself.

Standing up, he towered over the young man: “I welcome you Prince Regent. What is your desire with me this early?”

“You killed my father.”, Gavin stated calmly, looking up but not backing down.

“I did. Otherwise I wouldn't have gotten this crown. Are you holding a grudge against me?”

“I do indeed. Geoff was the kindest person I have ever met and his death is a great loss for all of us.”

“So what is your intention for this sudden meeting, old Prince?”, Ryan asked and this time Gavin lowered his head but only to look at Ray. “This is a private matter and I would welcome it if you would go.”

Shocked he whispered furious: “Gavin, do you even kno-”

“Please leave us two alone, Ray.”, the king added.

Looking back and forth between the two, he couldn't decide until the jester howled at him with the same fierce voice as before: “I told you to leave, Knight!”

So he did.

Turning around, he noticed for the first time that the warrior hadn't followed him in but as he stepped into the hallway again, he could see him standing there, worried and scared.

“Get to your posts!”, Ray snapped at the guards, his feelings in a complete turmoil, before facing the warrior. “What the hell is going on!”

“I don't know!”, he replied. “I caught him this morning wearing those clothes and the sword and I just knew he was doing something stupid!”

“How did you not stop him!”

“Could you? He wouldn't let me!”

Turning around, the knight watched the door, chewing on his own lips.

“The King will kill him.”, Michael whispered the words that spun inside his own head. “You did see Gavin practicing with a sword. He is awful! There is no way he can...”

“What do you want to do?”

Burying his face in his hands, the warrior took some deep breaths, before he quietly answered: “Let's storm the throne room. Haywood can't deal with all of us.”

But none of them moved a muscles, because maybe, just maybe the king could deal with all of them at once.

 

“Fuck!” Michaels fist collided with the wall. “I am such a damn coward! There must be something we can do!” By now Gavin seemed to be with the king for nearly an hour. It was probably not that long but it really felt like it.

Ray had sat down, his hands folded into a tight grip, trying to keep them from shaking. There was no sound reaching them here so he guessed there was no battle going on. So what was happening behind that door?

The warrior slammed against the wall and let himself get dragged down, finally tired of walking up and down the hallway. He laid his forehead on his knees and took deep breaths.

“I'm sorry.”, he mumbled after he had calmed down a bit. “I really am, Ray.”

The knight looked at the hunched over figure next to him: “About what?”

“What I said to you. I wanted to blame you for my own weakness. That wasn't fair.”

“I don't hold it against you. After all you were right; I didn't stop you.”

“You didn't kill that woman.”, Michael said slowly. “I can't believe I did that. She could have been innocent. She could have had a family.”

“I am sure Ryan had his reason to chose her.”

The warrior looked up upon hearing the first name of the king: “Do you know something about her?”

“No. I'm sorry.”

“That's still no reason for my behavior.”, he hissed through gritted teeth. “All I could think of back then was that the King would take away my sword! I swore on it's blade my devotion to Geoff but also to this kingdom. Losing it and probably my place as a warrior... I just didn't think straight.”

“Ryan is manipulative. I am sure he had planned this.”, Ray tried to reassured him, relieved to see his friend nod.

“Gavin told me the same thing and I think it's true. He counted on my weakness. Maybe even on our weaknesses.”

“Yeah.”, looking back to the still closed door, Ray realized it had happened again. Their own fear stopped them from helping their friend. And Ryan as well as Gavin had counted on that.

“He is not the only manipulative one.”, he sighed and for the first time today he heard Michael laugh.

“That fool put this whole show up so that we would talk to each other, right?”

“Gavin knows exactly at what time we go to work and when we pass each corridor. If he didn't want to get caught, he would have gone earlier to see the King.”

“He is such a damn idiot.”, the warrior agreed, letting his head rest against the wall. “I hope he is doing alright.”

“Otherwise we would have heard something by now. Ryan may be cruel but to be honest with you; I don't think he is a bad King. He just... deals with stuff different than Geoff.”

“Ryan, huh? I noticed that he calls you by your first name.”

Shrugging the knight played it down: “He offered me his first name. I can't really refuse.”

“Just be careful around hi-”

The door in front of them opened carefully and both of them were on their feet in an instance. Gavin stepped outside, a shy smile on his face upon seeing the two of them: “Sorry lads. I made you worry, didn't I?”

Michael playfully punched him on the shoulder but he laughed it off, nothing left of the determined prince Ray met before. “I'm sorry! I get it! Sorry for scaring you!”

“You are a damn idiot!”

“That was unbelievable stupid of you, Gavin.”

“It worked out!” He grinned widely, looking from one to another before turning on the heels: “See you guys in the evening!”

And of he went, chuckling when the other two exchanged a disbelieving look.

Shaking his head Ray waved towards Michael before heading into the throne room.

Ryan sat back in his throne, looking up when the knight entered: “We lost a bit of time thanks to the Jester but nothing too serious. I have a few ideas for the new law.”

It was hard not to ask what the king and Gavin had talked for so long but he knew that Ryan wouldn't answer that. Also there was a strange smell in the room that took a moment to recognized; like something had been burned. He looked around but could find no trace of a fire, so he concentrated on the more important things.

“I'd love to hear them. I also thought about it, so maybe I can be helpful.”

“Sit down then! There is still some food left, we can discuss while eating!”

 

By now the reign of Ryan had lasted for over three months and there was still no trace of either Jack or Geoff. Sometimes Ray managed to forget about them while working with the new king. Not because he didn't wanted to keep them in his memory but because every time he thought back, he remembered the third crown that laid hidden in the blacksmith. He felt like he let Jack and Geoff down by not taking the initiative and slaying Ryan.

But by now he hadn't found a reason to do so. Yes, Ryan was cruel towards his enemies and sometimes towards his allies too and yes, people whispered about the mad king in fear and still called him his dog, but the kingdom itself was healthier than before.

Like foreseen the crime-rate had gone down and they found more diamonds. Besides a few deaths of the criminals the new law was a huge success.

Ray had watched as the first load of men and women had been sent to the mines, heard the children cry after their parents as they were taken away but he couldn't really seem to care. After all they decided to murder, to rape or to cheat on the people around them and now they had to pay for it.

The only time he felt guilty was when he saw a woman, carrying her two kids and making her way towards him, only to be stopped by the guards. So instead she cried out, begged him to let her husband free. That he had only stolen to get them something to eat. That they would die otherwise.

Coming from a poor family himself, he knew how hard it was to feed all these hungry mouths. But he felt Ryans eyes on his back and turned away, listening to her terrible scream as the woman was dragged away.

After the results of the new law turned out positive, Ryan invested into the blacksmiths and ordered diamond weapons for his best fighters. He let Michael decide who was worth of such a weapon and one evening the warrior told Ray that he believed that the king would go into war soon, the knight agree.

So when Ryan told him exactly that a few days later, he wasn't even surprised.

This kingdom was healthy and had a lot of military forces, so it was probably only logical. Also the fear of the mad king had spread, along with some stupid rumors that he beheaded everyone who would disagree with him.

Ray nearly dared to hope that the country in the west, Fieldhollow, would just surrender on it's own but of course they weren't that lucky.

Fieldhollow was smaller than the Haywood-kingdom but it was said to have a massive amount of iron and diamonds and a good trained military, which was the reason why Ryan was interested in the first place.

The three of them watched quietly from their roof as the first army rolled out, heading into the sunset.

“A lot of them won't make it back.”, Gavin had whispered and the knight had nodded. The theory of war he had discussed with Ryan on so many nights seemed logical, but now that it was actually happening, it scared him.

Michael had been in a bad mood all day for the fact that he wasn't heading out too, but he had been completely quiet while looking after them.

So now one of the first things Ray went through every morning were the reports from the battlefield. The death-count on each letter seemed to grow higher and higher and while the knight read through them, he knew fully well that already two more days had past out there and those numbers were already old.

So when the king decided to sent out another army and then a third, he started to fear the daily messages.

With every new death the probability of Michael joining the next division was growing higher.

After they finished the war business, Ryan let call for Gavin, who had agreed to stay as a jester. To this day neither Ray nor Michael had been able to figure out what the old prince and the king had been talking about back then, but soon afterward their friend was often seen in the throne room.

His performance had changed quite a bit, the playful tune of it gone. When he threw cards in the air they came down in a flaming rain, until he caught them, letting the dust spark into a flame in his hand.

Even though Ray could feel the heat on his face whenever he did that, Gavin didn't seem to feel any pain, not even when he let the fire travel across his fingers and up his arm.

Upon asking how he did that, he would always reply that a magician never revealed his tricks.

So Ray let him perform with the fire but was more than happy when the king rather just talked with the jester. Those two, as unsimilar as they were, always found some topics to discuss.

The good thing about it was that Ray could relax or just do his work without getting bothered, but he remembered the huge conversation they had about the chances of a coin-toss. It had ended with both of them screaming at each other, until Ryan had thrown him out of the throne room and Gavin yelling, that he just couldn't take being wrong.

Mostly they spent their time playing chess. Learning from Geoff, Gavin could actually hold himself against the king, nearly winning as often as him. Sometimes they would invite Ray in, but after some terrible defeats he refused kindly.

It was while they were playing, that the knight heard a muffled yell from outside. He was hunched over some documents and threw a quick glance at the other two but they didn't seem to notice anything, chatting over their random topics.

Slowly, he stood up, listening closely for any other noises and reaching for his weapon when he heard a soft thump.

Moving to stand in front of his king, the door was ripped open and he made out three figures rushing in. Not recognizing their covered faces but the shine of blades being drawn, he hit the first one to reach him with a quick strike into his throat.

Behind him he could hear Gavin yell and the chessboard tumbling over, as he got the second intruder at the leg, making him fall to the floor.

The third ran past him and Ray set after him, seeing the king push Gavin to the side and reaching for his own sword. With a strong leap the knight crashed into the infiltrator, burying him under his weight, before he impaled his back with his rapier, watching the red spread once again onto these floors, as the strangers hand tried to reach for a hold. Pulling out his weapon he cut his throat, before turning back to the last one, who just came back to his feet.

Moving with well calculated steps, he dodged the first attack but letting the dagger graze his arm before he managed to land a kick. Again the intruder went down and this time Ray stabbed his Rapier through his hand, listening to the scream as he pinned the man down.

With a quick look around, he made sure that the danger was over and that the people arriving were guards, before he looked up and made sure the king and Gavin were alright.

The jester was still sitting on the floor between the chess pieces, looking shocked, but the king was coming with fast steps towards him, grabbing his arm forcefully.

“Are you hurt?”, Ray asked, noticing how heavy his breath was going as the king pulled him away from the man. Retrieving his weapon, the knight made sure that the guards had secured the intruder and that he was also still alive. They could question him later.

He turned his attention back to the king, repeating his question with more force this time: “Are you hurt, Ryan?”

“No, I am not. But you are.” Pulling the red cloak away, he revealed where the dagger had gotten him, sending lines of blood down to his fingers.

By now Ray couldn't feel any pain but as the adrenaline passed that would change: “It's nothing.”

But Ryan grabbed his uniform and tore the sleeve of, getting a better look at the wound. The knight flinched a bit at the sight of the ripped flesh and felt a sting as the other man examined the cut.

“Ray? Are you alright?” Gavin was back on his feet, running towards them, to check on him too.

“It's only a scratch.”

“It doesn't seem to be deep.”, Ryan assured but wouldn't let go of his arm. He looked up, seeing the guards watching him carefully, two of them tying the intruder up: “Sent me the Doctor immediately! And get that scum out of my face! Throw him in the deepest dungeon – I will deal with him later!”

“Ryan...”, the knight mumbled, his cheeks burning under the sudden attention he was getting. He felt the looks of the guards on him as they moved to their destination and as the door fell close, the king turned to Gavin: “Let him sit down.”

“Sure.” The jester hurried to put his chair back up as Ryan lead him and ordered him to take a seat. Right now, Ray was actually grateful for that as his adrenaline rush went down and he could feel his legs shaking. A steady throb was starting to pulse through his arm.

“Do you think the muscle is hurt?”, Gavin asked, holding onto Rays shoulder.

“I don't think so, but I am not a doctor.”, the king replied, before pointing to one of the dead bodies. “Please bring me one of their daggers, Gavin. And don't cut yourself with it!”

“Alright!”

The knight watched him run off, but got distracted when the king kneeled down next to him.

“Ryan!”, he protested and wanted to jump to his feet but with gentle force he was pulled back down.

“Hold still.”

“But you can't...”, his words trailed off as the king wrapped the torn sleeve tightly around his upper arm, looking up to him.

“How do you feel, Ray? Be honest.”

“I am... I am alright!”, he said again.

“Do you feel dizzy or sick? Does the wound burn?”

Ryans stare was so intimidating that Ray just shook his head: “It just hurts a bit. I am fine.”

Searching in his eyes, the king finally nodded before standing up again. Gavin carefully handed him the dagger: “I couldn't make out any poison on it.”

Ray grew cold. That was a possibility he hadn't even thought about. These blades could well be poisoned to grant him a long and painful dead.

Now he started to feel dizzy.

The jester took his hand upon noticing his pale and shocked face: “Don't worry! I am sure it will be alright!”

“I don't see any poison either.”, putting the weapon away, he looked up as the doctor arrived. “Take care of him and watch for traces of a poison.”

“As you wish, my liege!” Ray was lead out of the room, the jester next to him, not letting go off his hands until they reached the infirmary.

 

When Ray woke up, the sun had already risen high and it must have been past noon. He sat up in the bed, his arm reminding him immediately of last night. Reaching for the clean bandages around it, he took a moment of peace and just rested against the pillow.

Wondering if an infection or a poison was already starting to burn through his veins by this point. It had been careless of him to let that intruder get him so easily.

The door opened as Gavin quietly walked in, balancing two plates of food. His face lit up as he found his friend awake: “Ray! How are you feeling?”

“Still fine.”, he answered with a smile.

The jester handed him a plate and sat down on the edge of the bed: “For you! The King told me to make sure you eat everything!”

“Will you stop pampering me?”

“No, it's way too much fun!”, he dug in himself and started to report with a full mouth. “So you show no sign of being poisoned. Your wound has been cleaned and sewed up and as long as you show up for some check ups, you can leave tomorrow. But Ryan said you can take a few days off if you want to!”

Relieved over the fact that his death was prevented, the knight could finally feel his appetite. “What about the intruders?”

“They were sent by Fieldhollow to execute the king. Ryan is furious! Not only at them but also at the guards who couldn't get them in time! He's really scary when he wants to be! Anyway that one infiltrator is still alive; the King wants you to decide what happens to him.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. You captured him after all.”

“I see.”

“Michael was here yesterday night but you were already asleep, so he didn't want to bother you. He will be back in the evening.”

“He doesn't have to. You also don't have to be here. I'll be back on my feet in no time at all.”

“It's an order from the King though.”, Gavin replied, winking at him. “He wants me to make sure that you stay in bed. At least for this day.”

The knight could feel the warmth crawl up his cheeks: “It's just a scratch guys! How many times have I told-”

Gavin stuffed a piece of bread into his mouth to shut him up: “Continue to eat so that you don't talk stupid stuff anymore!”

“Fine!” He turned his attention back to his food and they ate in peace for a while. Ray felt honored that they all worried so much about him, even though his injury wasn't that serious, but the fact that the king himself was so caring about his health was a bit embarrassing. He had never thought of Ryan being the protective type.

And certainly not being protective over him.

Shouldn't it be the other way around?

Shaking this unpleasant thoughts out of his head, he turned towards more important matters: “What actions will Ryan take now? Did you hear anything?”

“You are off duty today, Ray! Start worrying about that when you get back to work.”

“You do know something then.”

Sighing, the jester shot him an annoyed look, before he lowered his fork: “I really shouldn't tell you this before you recover...”

“What happened, Gavin?” The knight sat up straight, sensing that something serious must have been decided.

“Well... you see, Ryan is of course enraged and I don't know details. I only heard some rumors and what Michael knows.”

“Get to the point.”

“I will! I just want to let you know, that it might not be absolutely true but apparently Ryan is sick of playing war-games. He will sent out the remaining troupes and finish Fieldhollow off once and for all.”

“Seeing that they already sent assassins out to do their dirty work, they must be in a pinch. Hopefully it will be a quick win fo-”, his words trailed out as he realized what made Gavin hesitate. “Michael will be among them, right?”

The jester nodded silently, staring at his half empty plate: “He's actually looking forward to it. Was all excited when he told me. What an idiot.”

“He's a warrior after all.”

His friend gave him an angry look, his mouth into a thin line: “He's a warrior to protect the King and not one, who will slaughter innocent man on some stupid battlefield! This war is such a waste!”

“I get it. I'm sorry.” He reached to put a hand on Gavins trembling shoulder when the young man caught it mid air.

“You have to help me, Ray! I don't think I can talk him out of it! He's so damn eager! He's got the same dumb determined look on his face like Geoff had, when he established this stupid rule or when he let Ryan set foot into this castle!”

“Please calm down. We will find a way.”

“I won't let him die, Ray! I won't allow it!”

For a moment Ray was sure he wasn't talking to the jester, but the prince regent he had seen, when Gavin had faced Ryan. There was a fire in his eyes and in his words, so he couldn't help but nod, knowing that Gavin was manipulating him: “Me neither.”

“Do you promise? Do you promise that you will help me save Michael?”

“Of course, Gavin. Now try to calm down.” Giving his hand a tight squeeze, he let go: “How about I talk to Ryan?”

“Would you?”

“I will try, but I can't really promise you anything.”

 

The next morning they changed his bandages and for the first time he was able to take a look at his injury. The skin was deep red and the stitches looked quite nasty; he actually shivered a bit. But after the doctor checked on it and wrapped it back up, he was allowed to leave. Only stopping to wash himself and change into a new uniform real quick, he threw his coat over.

Michael had brought it in the evening, clean and with no more traces of blood. Without a single word he had mentioned his new assignment, so Ray hadn't either. The warrior had just congratulated him for taking down three enemies before they had the chance to reach the throne and wanted to know the details, but the knight actually found it hard to remember what exactly happened.

So in the end they had just settled down and talked about the same topics as always, laughing and forgetting for a few minutes how heavy their positions were.

Sighing heavily, Ray reached for his nightstand but found his brooch not on its usual place. The silver brooch with the deep red rose that Geoff had gotten him the moment that Ray let it slip that he liked those flowers.

It must have fallen off yesterday, either while he had been fighting or when someone had taken his cloak. He couldn't remember who did that though, the memories still hazy no matter how hard he tried.

For a moment his mood dropped and he could feel the whole responsibility resting on his shoulder. All over the fact that he noticed the loss of such an important gift so late. Then he also realized that he had no spare one to clasp his cloak together and wouldn't be able to wear it until he bought one.

Letting the fabric slip from his shoulders he sat down on his bed, needing a moment to collect himself. That wasn't a thing he should focus on right now but still he clutched the coat tightly; burying his face in it. Remembering how easy it had been with Geoff and Jack here, while spending his evenings on the roof, joking with his friends.

Now Geoffs blood stained this coat, not even visible against all the red anymore.

Taking a shaky breath, he lowered his hands and closed his eyes to focus. He was going to ask Ryan about Michael and maybe the king was going to agree to keep him from the battleground. That would satisfy Gavin because otherwise the jester would never let this die.

For a moment Ray considered just staying here, after all Ryan had offered him to take some days off. But in the end he folded the coat neatly and stood up, taking one last look around in hope to find the brooch.

No such luck but on the other hand it was probably in the throne room. Maybe Ryan had found it.

Clutching the coat to his chest, Ray headed towards his king. Forgetting his wound he tried to open the heavy doors, feeling it start to ache again. So he walked in with a grimace, finding Ryan in front of the window.

He turned towards him when he heard his steps: “Ray! How are you feeling?”

“I am fine, thank you.” With a quick glance he scanned the room: “Where is my representative?”

“I didn't need one.”

“You've been attacked just two days ago! What would you do-”

“I would've slain them down obviously. Also I figured you wouldn't listen and come back right away, instead of resting for a bit.” The king stepped towards him, putting a hand on his shoulder: “I thank you for protecting me, Knight of Roses.”

“Ryan, there is no ne-”

Shaking his head the king cut him off, revealing the brooch in his free hand: “You should fix your appearance though.”

“You found it!”, Ray said happily. “Thank you so much!”

“You have to live up to your name after all.” He headed back to his throne, while Ray put on his cloak, feeling much more comfortable like this. In a way better mood now, he figured he could test his luck: “I heard about your battle plans against Fieldhollow.”

“You never rest, do you?”

“I am your counselor.”

“True indeed. And I guess I know what you are here for. So speak, Ray.” He sat down and the knight took a deep breath, before speaking: “I am asking you to keep Michael here and not sent him out.”

“I have no intend to sent Michael into the battle against Fieldhollow.”

Taken aback, Ray halted: “You do not?”

“No. I also need some men here. Since the day before yesterday it should be clear that we need more guards in the castle.”

Relief washed over him upon hearing those words. That was even better than what he had hoped for: “I am so glad to hear that!”

“However, Michael asked for an audience yesterday.”, the king continued. “And he asked me to sent him out, no matter what. I am sorry, Ray. But the decision isn't mine to make.”

 

“I am a warrior.”, Michael stretched that word, like that would help Gavin finally getting the meaning of it.

When Ray had reached their rooftop, the jester had waited for him, immediately asking about the king. So when the knight told him about Michaels choice, he could clearly watch how Gavins face changed. He was furious, his brows tightly knitted together as he turned silent.

Ray had barely seen Geoff mad but they both acted similar. Only had Geoff screamed his anger out, while the jester grew dangerously quiet.

Both ways were scary.

Michael had joined them shortly after, smiling when he saw Ray and blurted out the good news right away.

Gavin had interrupted them immediately, his voice vicious and low.

Now they were fighting and Ray knew that they were way past the point of a solution.

“You are the warrior for the King! You are suppose to stay here!”

“I am a warrior of the kingdom! Why don't you get that? That's my job, Gavin!”

“Why don't you get it? This is no game, Michael! Why are you so stupid?”

“I am the stupid one of us?” The warrior laughed at the young man standing in front of him: “That would be news! Do you think I went to train each and every day and just rot here in the castle? That is my chance to show my abilities on the battlefield!”

“You will die!”

“I won't! I am strong, I have Mogar on my side and I have trained for this since childhood!”

“One wrong move! One wrong move and you'd be gone!”

“Then I won't make one!”

“Don't be so naïve!”

“Fine! Maybe I am naïve! Sure if you say so!”, taking a huge step towards the jester, Michael was now right in his face. “Why don't you just have a bit of trust in me?”

Frustrated tears burned in Gavins eyes as replied shakingly: “This is an order, warrior! Stay in this castle like you are supposed to!”

Ray had decided to stay passive in this fight, but now he looked up, feeling that a line had just been crossed. Michael didn't move but the rage faded from his face, replaced by a hurtful look.

“You have no right to talk down to me.”, he stated, his voice heavy and calm. “It was your own decision to turn down your title.”

Gavin opened his mouth but remained quiet as Michael took a step away from him.

“You are neither my king, nor are you on a higher rank than me, Jester. Also, if I remember correctly, you had asked me all those year ago, to see you as Gavin and not as the Prince Regent. I did. And later I saw you as my equal friend. I am sorry if I had a wrong impression.”

“Mich-”

“Michael.” Ray stepped up, trying not to flinch when the warrior turned his gaze to him, his eyes showing betrayal: “He's just worried about you. We both are.”

“I understand and I am glad about it. I really am!” He rose his arms but let them fall right back down in a helpless movement: “But please! Try to understand! I want to go, guys! I want to fight for my kingdom!”

The jester wheezed and took a step ahead but Rays hand shot forward, grabbed his shoulder and forced him to stay quiet.

“Are you sure about that?”, the knight asked seriously, already knowing the answer.

“I am.”

“Please take care of yourself.”

“Thank you, Ray. I really appreciate that.” He brought himself to a fake smile, before he turned towards Gavin. Seeing the stubbornness in his eyes: “I will head out in six days. It would mean the world to me if I could go with your blessing.”

For a few moments he waited for an answer that didn't come, so he walked off, leaving the two behind. Ray could feel his friend shake beneath his hand, before Gavin turned around sharply. For a second the knight was sure that vicious stare was for him but as he followed the green eyes, he looked towards the windows of the throne room.

“Don't.”, he whispered. “It's Michaels decision.”

“I don't care! He was the one who started this war!”

“Please be reasonable, tha-”

“I just want us all to stay together.”, the jester blurted out. His shoulders slammed down on an invisible weight: “This is all I can do. Geoff is dead and Jack is gone. You two... you are the only people I have left.”

Ray could feel himself giving in before Gavin grabbed his arm, begging him with wet eyes: “Please, Ray! I need your help with this!”

“Gavin, do you even understand what you are asking of me?”

“Jack said to turn towards you if I think things are getting out of hand!”, he pleaded, tucking at his arm. Surprised Ray looked up: “He talked to you, too?”

“He did! And he said that he had prepared everything we need!”

“He gave you something, didn't he?”

Frantic, Gavin nodded: “Let me show you! Everything will be clear then!”

“This is not the place to talk about things like this.”, Ray warned him, noticing how his excited voice got louder with each word.

Hesitating, the jester thought about it for a moment before he nodded: “You are right. Will you come to my room later? I will show you Jacks gift and we can discuss our next steps.”

“Fine.”

 

He had only been to Gavins room a few times. It was big, way bigger than his own, actually showing that he wasn't a mere jester. It looked more like the room of the Prince.

He waved Ray in, closing the door behind him before hurrying to his bed, pulling something from his sheets.

“That is what Jack gave me.” He revealed a key, old and rusty. For a moment Ray was sure it was the key to the cabinet that hid the rose crown but after he took it in his hand, he realized it was too big for that. It must be the key to a room.

“Where does it fit?”, he asked, examining the key for a clue.

“That's what I was trying to find out. Took me almost three weeks – you have no idea how many doors this stupid castle has!” Taking a deep breath the jester tried to calm himself down, growing serious all of a sudden: “Listen Ray, I'll do this with or without you. But I think we will only succeed if we do it together.”

Raising a hand, the knight stopped him: “Wait. Let's be clear here. You want to betray the King.”

“No. I want to kill the King.”, Gavin stated flatly, then shook his head. “Actually I want _you_ to kill the King.”

Ray shivered at how casual those words sounded: “Why me?”

“Ryan has never declined Geoffs law. The one to kill the King shall become the new one.”, Gavin whispered intently. “I want you to become the new King.”

“Why me?”, the knight repeated, now a little more agitated. “You have been a prince for most of your life! You have learned everything to inherit Geoffs title one day.”

“I am just a jester.”

“And I am just a knight!”

“I am not suited to lead people!”, he hissed. “Geoff knew it, you and Michael know it. I know it myself!”

“Gavin, do you realize what you are asking from me?”

“I do! I am so sorry Ray, but who else could I rely on?”

Burying his face in his hand, the knight took a deep breath: “If we do this... how are we suppose to beat Ryan? He took down Geoff without a problem. What could we possibly do?”

“Let me show you.” Taking the key from his hands, Gavin turned towards his wardrobe, pulling out a black mantle and threw it to Ray. “We will need that later, follow me.”

And he left the room.

For a few seconds the knight remained right on that spot, not moving a muscle. This didn't feel real, because that couldn't really happen, right? Were they really heading out to kill the king?

To kill Ryan?

His hand found the bandage on his upper arm, thinking about how worried Ryan had been over him. And now..?

Then he remembered how cold the king had killed Geoff, how he had forced Michael to slay this woman.

He was indeed a cruel person.

Breathing in, he followed after Gavin, knowing that the jester wouldn't stop now. And if he wouldn't help him, he could lose not only him, but also Michael.

Did he really have a choice after all?

Quietly they walked down the stairs of the nearly empty castle. To this late hour only some guards remained but none of them tried to stopped them as they were heading down stairs after stairs; both of them were well known.

Finally reaching the outside, they crossed the courtyard and slowly Ray understood why it had taken Gavin so long to find this damn door. He helped him open the heavy gate towards the dungeon and tried not to ask how they should get through that. It would certainly get peoples attention when they would walk around down here.

But before they even reached the guards, Gavin turned left, stopping in front of a simple wooden door.

“What's this?”

“I am guessing this was used for cleaning supplies but it's empty now.”, the jester explained, inserting the key and turning it around. A heavy click echoed through the silence: “Well besides the things Jack left us here.”

It was dark and dusty in the room and at first Ray couldn't make out anything. Snapping his finger, Gavin let a flame burn in his hand, revealing a rapier leaning on the far wall: “That's yours.”

Stepping ahead, Ray took the weapon, carefully drawing the sword. Like he had guessed the blade had a blue tint, obviously crafted with diamonds.

The light shifted and he watched Gavin move, exposing a longbow in the other corner.

“And that's mine.” His free hand stroke over the wood, then checked on the bowstring.

“You know how to use that thing?”, Ray asked surprised.

“I do. Actually, I am pretty good at it.” Erasing the light, he pulled the quiver out of a box, before sitting near the door to check on each arrow.

That gave Ray time to draw the rapier completely, letting the dim light from the hallway dance across the blade. The weight was a bit different but he could clearly see how sharp this new weapon was. Even more deadlier than his old one.

Jack had once again outclassed himself on this.

Strapping it on his belt, he let his old rapier rest against the wall. He would come back to get it later.

Turning around, he watched as Gavin put on the quiver, testing if he could reach the arrows quick and without a problem, before he added the bow on his back.

“Are you ready?”, he asked, his face in shadows but from the little light, Ray made out the green scarf. This still felt surreal.

“We need one more thing.”

“What?”

“Follow me.” Throwing him the mantle, he waited until Gavin put it on, hiding his weapons, before leading him out of the dungeon. Instead of walking towards the castle he turned right, opening the door to the blacksmith.

“What do we want here?”

“You weren't the only one getting something from Jack. Give me some light.”

The flame reappeared and it sparked again the question in him how exactly Gavin did this. It didn't seem to hurt him after all.

Rather than keeping his mind on this, he turned towards the shelf. He had seen Jack hide the key here and after a few moments he felt the cold metal under his fingers. Opening the cabinet, he stared at the remaining crowns, their gold catching the light. Pulling out the rose one, he could hear Gavin take a sharp breath: “It's beautiful, Ray!”

“Yeah.” He offered the crown to him: “Please watch over it.”

Gavin took the crown but shook his head right away: “No. You watch over it. Jack obviously put a lot of time and effort into it.” He placed it on Rays head and stepped back smiling: “It fits perfectly.”

“I don't know.” The knight reached up, feeling the unusual weight on his head. The crown was surprisingly heavy. “Are you absolutely sure we should do this?”

“Yes. We have to.”

Sighing deeply, he gave his new weapon a pat: “Then I guess I'm out.”

“Take it slow. I need to find a good spot first. And if you get in trouble, try to get some space between you and Ryan so that I can shoot.”

“I'm going to try.” Just that he still wasn't sure if he could attack his king. By now his plan was to talk to him and maybe reach an agreement of some sort. He knew how bad that idea was.

“Please be safe, Ray.”

“You too.” He watched Gavin leave the blacksmith and took the crown off his head, turning it between his hands. How had it played out like this?

He should have never let Geoff fight that vagabond. How easy their lives would still be then.

Sighing once again, he decided to carry the crown, wrapping the end of his coat around it. As weird as it looked like, it was less suspicious than to walk around with it on his head.

But his cautions wasn’t necessary, he didn’t stumble over a guard that paid him any attention until he reached the floor of the throne room. Walking straight towards the first guard, he ordered them to stay on the stairs, so that nobody but him and the king would set foot on this floor.

Of course they obeyed his words immediately and after making sure he was alone, he revealed his crown. Now in the proper light it was even more beautiful.

His finger traced the form of the roses and the small petals falling from it, before he placed it on his head. The weight was still unusual but made it clear that it wouldn't just fall off. So he walked down the hallway, the crown on his head and his red coat waving behind him, resting his hands on the heavy door.

What if Gavin wasn't ready, yet? The jester had said he knew a good spot to shoot from and when Ray remembered the houses surrounding the throne room he knew exactly where he would be now.

He just had to trust his friend.

Pushing the door open, he drew the sword while he slowly walked towards Ryan. The king had been reading some records and seemed tired, his eyes slowly focusing on Ray.

They remained silent until the knight stopped in the middle of the room, hearing his heart beat in his ears.

The king slowly put his paper down, before standing up: “I had guessed it would be the jester. After I gave Michael what he wanted, I knew that the warrior wouldn't be a threat anymore, but seeing Gavin so enraged over it I had actually waited for him to show up.” There was a tint of sadness on his face and betrayal in his voice: “I didn't... I hoped it wouldn't be you.”

Ray felt the need to flinch over those words, but it made him finally open his mouth: “I don't want to kill you.”

“You want to become king, don't you?”

“I just want to save Michael. Don't sent the troupes out and stop this war once and for all! That's all I demand from you!”

“I won't do that Ray. We both know that.”, he shrugged. “Maybe I have underestimated you... or rather Jack, right?” His cold eyes found the new rapier, then traveled up to examine the crown: “I was so glad that I got rid of him so easily but I see he only needed this little time to plant the seeds of betrayal.”

“I don't plan to betray you, I jus-”

He stopped Ray with a movement of his hand: “What I was trying to say; don’t underestimate me either. I am the King of this country and I decide what's best for it.” Drawing his own sword, he took several steps forward: “And right now, you are a threat.”

“Ryan, plea-” The king leaped towards him and Ray fell into a battle stance immediately, raising his rapier to block his blow. Now up close, he could see the runes running up and down Ryans sword and he started to wonder what the enchantment was exactly.

Their blades collided and even thought he threw his full weight against it, he lost the ground under his feet promptly. Getting knocked back, he barely managed to land on his legs, tumbling a few steps before catching himself. The power of the impact still rippling through his arms, making his fresh wound ache.

“Ryan! I beg you! I do-”

“You should get serious, Ray.” Pointing his weapon at him, the king slowly walked towards him: “You have made your choice, time for talking is over.”

The knight blocked a horizontal blow and even thought he had prepared himself, the raw force made him nearly fall over.

Quickly getting out of reach, he steadied himself, seeing the cruel determination in his opponents face. It seemed like Ryan was right once again – time for talking was over. If he wanted to get out of this room alive, he would have to do something.

This time he launched himself at the king, planning to get him out of balance. He certainly wasn't as strong as Ryan but he was sure he was faster and could land a serious hit before his opponent would recover from the first one.

Bringing his rapier down with full force, he stopped abruptly as the king did barely budge under it. His left hand shot forward, closing around Ray throat and lifting him up with ease.

Gasping, the knight felt himself losing the ground underneath his feet once again, kicking to get it back. He tried to compose himself, remembering his weapon but again Ryan was faster, letting his own fall down, before grabbing Rays wrist.

For a moment, the knight struggled against the grip, trying to get his rapier free but with a sudden shove the king crashed him into the floor.

With a muted scream, he lost the remaining air in his lungs, gasping like a fish on land, listening as the crown fell from his head, rolling over the carpet.

“I told you to be serious.”, Ryan whispered above him. “I saw you fight and this is not the best you can do. Such a shame that you came here without the needed determination to win.”

His grip grew tighter and Rays free hand scratched helplessly over the kings skin, his mouth wide open, desperately trying to force some air down his throat. He could feel how he lost the hold on his weapon as his eyes started to roll, even thought he tried so hard to keep them on the king.

Something shattered over or under him, he wasn't exactly sure. Actually he was pretty sure his clouded mind had imagined it but then Ryan got pushed to the side, his hands slipping from his throat.

With a deep breath, Rays chest heaved, before he rolled away, coughing violently. Curling up, he tried to compose himself but his body wouldn't listen. His gasps were quick and painful in his sore throat, tasting like copper as they send tears to his eyes.

Somewhere behind him the other man groaned and with shaking arms the knight tried to get up.

He managed to get onto his stomach before his muscles gave out, sending him back down as he took a few more raspy breaths. Slowly his eyes focused and he could see his rapier laying on the floor in front of him. With a trembling hand, he reached out, wrapping his finger around the hilt of it, slowly pulling it towards him.

He needed that.

He knew he did.

Using it for support, he managed to get on his knees, making his head spin with the movement, before he felt clear enough to look around. Ryan was in the same position as himself, blood staining the carpet around him. An arrow was sticking out of his shoulder, buried deep within the flesh.

Gavin.

Stumbling to his feet, Ray stood. It was a shaking and weak stand but he stood nonetheless. He considered striking now but if he was honest his weapon was one of the things that held him up, so he just watched as the king snapped the ending part of the arrow off, before lifting himself of the ground.

“I see, you're not alone.”, he wheezed, picking his sword up again.

“Just give up.”, Ray replied hopefully, but his words were raw and barely a whisper, sounding pitiful.

A second arrow broke a window, going far over their heads before hitting the wall and falling to the floor with a harmless clatter.

“I don't think I need to.”

 

Gavin reached the roof of the dinning hall without obstacles, searching for a spot from where he could see the throne room clearly. On the way up here, he had feared that it was too far away even for his eyes but now that he stood here, he could clearly look inside the room.

Shaking off his cloak, he took the bow into his hand and pulled an arrow from his quiver. Carefully placing it on the bowstring, he slowly breathed out, concentrating on the room. Right now he could see no one in it, so Ryan was probably on his throne. The angle didn't allow him to see that place.

He hoped that Ray would realize that and would bait the king out of that corner.

So he started to wait, not moving a muscle, the arrow loosely between his finger. It took some time until he spotted movement in there, then the knight appeared in his line of sight, his form easy to make out in the well lit room.

They seemed to talk and suddenly Ryan appeared. The king was faster than he had expected and as Gavin drew the string back he already crashed into Ray. The Jester swallowed a hiss, following their movements with his body, waiting for a good opportunity to strike.

Then Ray charged at the king and things went downhill. Ryan stopped his friend easily, holding him in an iron grip. Gavin aimed carefully, nervous at how close their bodies were but he could make it. He knew he could. Until Ryan slammed the knight into the ground and out of his direct line of sight.

“Shit!”, he swore, lowering his weapon. He needed to get closer, so he hurried forward until he was on the edge of the roof. Bringing his bow back up, barely seeing the two figures from here.

Breathing out slowly, he aimed, watching if his scarf would be moved by the wind. As it did not, he relaxed his finger, releasing the arrow in a straight line.

He watched as it hit Ryans shoulder, freeing the knight underneath him.

Relieved Gavin closed his eyes, before pulling out the next arrow, feeling something press against his back.

“What do you think you're doing?”

The jester stopped in his movement upon hearing this all too familiar voice: “I am trying to keep Ray alive, Michael.”

“By killing who?”

“I am killing the King.”, he answered, finally placing the arrow on his bow. He knew that it was the sharp blade of Mogar, which pressed into his back and that he was balancing on the edge of this roof and Michael could so easily kill him.

Only that Michael wouldn't.

“Are you two insane?” The warrior grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around but halted when Gavin pointed that arrow at him now.

“Mind your own business, would you?”, he replied sharply.

“You are the one saying this? How about you do that!” Again he took hold of Gavins arm, also knowing that the jester wouldn't hurt him but flinched when a flame ignited on the spike of the arrow.

“Step back now! I don't have time for you!”, he growled, before turning back around. He saw Ryan standing up, giving him a perfect target. Pulling back, he aimed but a sharp tug on his shoulder threw him off balance, letting him shoot way to high.

Michael had ripped off his quiver, his remaining arrows falling on the stone of the roof.

“Micha- No!”, Gavin cried out, as the warrior stepped on them, breaking them like branches. “Why did you do that? Ray needs my help, you will kill him!”

“Ray is a traitor!”, the young man screamed back, his face red with anger. “In fact, you are also one! What are you two thinking!”

“What are you thinking! We are your friends!” The jester charged at him but Michael easily caught him, moving his sword out of the way so he wouldn't hurt him.

“I am the Warrior of the King.”, he hissed, before sending the other man to the floor. “So I will protect him! Even if it's from you!”

“Ryan will execute us!”

“He doesn't know this was you, right?” Michael nodded towards the bow: “And I will try to save Ray right now. How did you two get into this mess?” Turning on his heels, he left furious and for a moment Gavin wanted nothing more than to run after him and hit his stupid face. Instead he slid towards the remains of his arrows, investigating the damage.

But it was hopeless. They were all broken or bent, he wouldn't be able to shoot them. Frustrated he stood up, picking up his quiver and to his relieve he could hear the familiar rattling sound.

A single arrow was left. He would have to make it count.

Quickly getting back to his position, he pulled the string back until he could feel it against his cheek, aiming carefully.

Ryan was stepping towards the knight and this time Gavin had a better angle, so without losing anymore time he let his arrow fly.

 

The battle grew slower the longer it lasted. Rays head became clearer with each minute and he managed to block every strike he received but even though the king was steadily losing blood, his blows were still powerful to ripple through his entire body.

He was forced into defense, waiting for an opening that Ryan wasn't going to give. By now his throat was the only thing that send waves of pain out but he wasn't stupid enough to believe that this wouldn't change. His movements became sloppier and once before a careless block had nearly cost him his head.

The king was also out of breath but his wound wasn't serious enough to stop him in time.

He blocked another strike. This time his knees were too weak to keep him up and he sank to the ground, gasping violently through his sore throat. Ray looked up, seeing Ryan come towards him, an exhausted look on his face.

A third window broke somewhere behind him, the arrow impaling itself into the chest of the king, sending him backwards.

This was it.

With tired legs, the knight launched himself at his opponent, praying that Gavin wouldn't shoot again. They collided and still his weight was barely enough to let that tower of a man fall down. Their impact made Ray nearly roll over him, before he caught himself, pinning down the kings arms with his knees. He grabbed a handful of the others hair, slamming Ryans head against the floor, revealing the other mans throat.

Gasping heavily, he lifted his rapier, feeling Ryans eyes on him.

“Of all the people here...”, he whispered out of breath. “If I had to chose, you would've been the most suited one as a king.”

“I hope you're right.”, Ray replied, but his words were so hoarse that he wondered if they were even understandable.

Bringing down his weapon, he let the blade stab through the others throat. He listened as Ryan panted, his hand grabbing at Rays coat before it fell back. Closing his eyes, the knight let his forehead rest against the hilt of his rapier, trying to finally catch his breath.

The door behind him blasted open but he didn't bother to look up, he was still shaking, taking in the sensation of all this beautiful red soaking him. It would never stop to surprise him how much blood such a fragile container hid.

“Ray... What have you done?”

He bothered to turn his head, noticing Michael standing there, staring at him shocked and disbelieving. Again too late to save a king. How cruel.

Supporting his weight on his weapon, he got back to his feet, making sure that Ryan wasn't going to grab his ankle. But the man was dead.

Still he gave the diamond sword a kick, just to make sure that he wouldn't get surprised from behind. Pulling out his rapier, which made a disgusting sound, he stepped towards his friend but collapsed on the way.

Suddenly Gavin was next to him, holding him up and talking oh so fast. His words didn't really make any sense to him, so he decided to close his eyes and rest his head against the jester for a while.

“The old king is dead.”

He recognized those words from before and that made him say: “Don't...” But it came out inaudible so Gavin just continued: “Long live the king. All hail King Ray.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this was a huge chapter!  
> Took way longer to kill Ryan off then I had planned; sorry for that! Anyway; I will try to upload once a week!  
> By now I have the next two chapters written and will start with editing the next one so this should actually work out!  
> Hope you guys like it~


	4. King Ray 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray grew quiet as his memories lazily returned.  
> He had killed Ryan.  
> He now was the new king.

4\. King Ray

 

_I'm sorry you felt that you needed to hide_

_The dirt from inside you_

 

“Wake up, sleepyhead!”

That sounded like a bad idea. It really did. Turning away from the voice, Ray tried to go back to sleep. His whole being demanded to rest some more.

“Come on, it will be a hard day. Better get it started!”

He forced his tired eyes open, looking straight into Gavins face, who leaned over him: “I am going to punch you if you are not quiet.”

“Sorry, but I won't leave.”, the jester grinned. His laugh turned into a squeak just as fast when the knight grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled harshly at it. Normally this would sent Gavin over his bed and hard onto the floor, but this time the other man just landed on the soft mattress, getting tangled in the sheets.

Confused, Ray noticed that this wasn't in fact his bed and he darted into a sitting position. He regretted that sudden movement immediately as a rush of pain pulsed through his body, his muscles aching underneath his skin.

Swearing, he looked around, noticing the unfamiliar furniture: “Where am I?”

“That's your new room, idiot.”, Gavin answered cheerful. “The Kings private chamber!”

Ray grew quiet as his memories lazily returned.

He had killed Ryan.

He now was the new king.

“Are you sure that wasn't a dream?”

“Pretty damn sure.” Gavin stood up, magically untangling himself and began to open the curtains, letting the sun pour in: “You were really tired yesterday, so I brought you here. Kinda had to undress you to wash you but I got some new clothes for you. The old ones weren't really... the best anymore, so I let your maiden take care of that.” He threw some clothes at Ray: “Get dressed.”

“My cloak..?”, he asked as he started to change.

“I kept that one of course. It's not dry yet, you can wear it later. I'll let the maiden know that they should bring it to you.”

“I have maiden?”

“You are the King now, you dork!”, Gavin answered amused, fixing the others clothes, before stepping back. “Yeah. You also start to look like one.”

Examining himself, Ray sighed: “I look stupid.”

It also felt weird. His usual uniform was made of simple cotton, while his new attire seemed to be weaved of silk.

“Oh, don't be mean! I chose that stuff!”, the jester pouted. “I made sure that there was something red!”

“Thanks”, Ray replied sarcastic, before he grew serious again. “So... Ryan is really dead?”

“He is.”

“What now?”

Gavin looked up at the worried tone of his friend: “Now you are King! And you can stop this stupid war once and for all!”

“I have to admit... I am a bit afraid. What should I do? I don't kno-”

“That's what I am here for!”, the jester declared. “I know the rules of society. I know the etiquette. Just ask me!” He walked to the small table in front of the windows, before returning, bowing down slightly: “Let me be of help for you, my liege.”

He revealed the rose crown and carefully placed it on Rays head, before falling to one knee: “Long live King Ray.”

“Get back up, you idiot! You are embarrassing me!”, the other man yelled, his cheeks burning.

“Fine, fine. Still you better get used to it.” Standing back up, Gavin handed him his rapier: “We should get going.”

“To the throne room?”

“Yeah! You are already kinda late but I decided to let you sleep in a bit.”

“Well that makes a great first impression.”

“Nobody there to judge you. That's kinda the best part about this whole king-thing.” He opened Ray the door, again bowing down: “After you, my liege.”

Before he stepped outside, Ray made sure to hit his friend on the head but at least his stupid joke made him forget how damn nervous he was. Taking a deep breath, he walked as graceful as possible through the hallways he knew but wasn't all too familiar with. He was glad that Gavin was right behind him, sometimes telling him which way to go, quietly guiding him as they walked towards the more populated parts of the castle.

He noticed the guards watching him, could hear the maiden whisper as they tried to get a quick glance of him. Some of them he knew for most of his life and he wanted to greet them in some form but their distant faces made him stop. In the end Ray just looked ahead, happy when he saw familiar corners and found his way confidently.

The jester hurried ahead, opening him the doors and as Ray wanted to thank him, he quickly shook his head to make him stop.

That was also something that would take time to get used to.

Stepping into the throne room, he immediately noticed that the carpet leading towards the throne was missing. Remembering yesterday it was probably ruined.

Now each of his steps echoed on the stone floor as he approached the throne, carefully sitting down. Again this all felt unreal as he looked ahead, seeing Gavins smile as he came closer: “How is it?”

“Strange. Really strange.” Ray let his hand wander over the soft cushions: “But very comfortable.”

“That's a start. Are you hungry?”

“A bit.”

“I'll let a maid get your breakfast right away. Anything special?”

“No, just... just something.”

“What a humble King we have.”, Gavin teased, before stepping out. Finally being alone, Ray let himself relax as he examined the room. The evidence of the fight from yesterday had all been cleaned up, besides the broken windows to his right.

But the sky was clear and the temperatures high so he didn't mind.

All in all the day was going to be really beautiful, he figured.

His hands clutched around the arm rests as he realized that Ryan wouldn't be able to see that. Because he had killed the man to take the throne.

He had wished the former king would just give him the crown but Ray would lie if he had believed in that hope. It was a shame that Ryan was dead. It was a shame that probably nobody would mourn him.

Hiding his face in his hands, Ray tried to control his breathing.

Ryan had been feared by the public for his cruelty but when he thought back, Ray could remembered this concerned look on the old kings face as that dagger had hurt him. How protectively he had made sure that Ray was alright and that someone would take care of him.

Two hands laid themselves on his shoulders and he flinched, but didn’t bother to look up. There was only one person who could sneak up on him like this.

“I'm sorry.”, Gavin whispered. “I'm sorry that you have to carry this weight for us.”

“I'm a traitor.”, he said slowly, not really trusting his voice.

“You didn't have a choice. You either betrayed Ryan or Michael.”

“Didn't I also betray Michael? He wanted to go into battle! He won't be happy when I stop the war.”

“Fine, maybe. Then at least you saved a friend.” He could hear Gavin kneel down, before he gently tugged at his arm, revealing Rays face. With a quick movement of his hand a rose appeared between his fingers: “It will get easier now.”  
“I hope you are right.”, he mumbled but took the offered flower. The door was opened and he sat straight up again, watching as the maiden prepared his breakfast. He literally bit on his tongue to not thank them. Relieved to watch them leave at least, he began to eat, feeling how hungry he really was with each bite he took.

“So what next?”, Gavin asked, shaking his head as Ray offered him some food.

“Well, I figured I will sent Fieldhollow a letter.”, the new king started. “Telling them that I would be ready to retrieve my army under some condition. Ryan was right, they have a large amount of iron and diamonds. We should get as much as we can.”

“But what if they decline?”

“They won't. We are too powerful and would overtake their kingdom otherwise. It's actually a deal in their favor.”

“Whatever you say, King.” Gavin chuckled at the angry look he received: “What about your crowning?”

“What about it?”

“You wanna make it official? Like, the people probably wanna know who you are!”

“I don't remember Ryan doing something like that.”

“Yeah, but you are not Ryan.” Gavin grabbed the chair next to the throne and sat in front of the king: “Geoff told me, that when his father gave him the crown they had like a huge festival, with holidays and everything. That made him pretty popular.”

“It's not really my goal to become popular. I am more a placeholder until Geoff is coming back.”

“People are confused and scared, Ray. They have lived under Geoff for most of their lives, then a stranger comes in and takes the throne and they hear all these strange rumors about him being insane and gruesome. I am pretty sure most of them have no clue how Ryan even looked like.

But now there is again someone they don't know. By now they probably only heard that you are someone from the castle. Someone of Geoffs men. I'm sure they want to see you! To hear you!” Shrugging Gavin gave him a smile: “Just think about it.”

That he did. He thought about it for the next days, while he led the kingdoms business or while he was trying to fall asleep.

He wondered what he should tell them or what he should do as a festival. What they would expect from him.

His thoughts finally settled down when he got the answer from Fieldhollow, agreeing to his conditions. Ordering two free days that week, he figured he could do a quick speech from the great balcony.

It was still a strange feeling. He went over it all with Gavin so often but standing in the hall, leading to the open balcony was scary. It wasn't the first time he was here, he had often stood behind Geoff when he spoke to his people but he had never been in the spotlight. Even from within here, he could hear thousand different voices. Big chance that they were talking about him.

“I can't...”, he mumbled, feeling the mighty need to flee. Run back to his old room and stay there until he calmed down.

“It's gonna be alright.”, Gavin assured him, grabbing his arm as he stepped back, wildly shaking his head.

“This was a bad idea. It really was. I won't get a single word out and even if, it will never be loud enough for them to hear. All they will see is a fool, moving his lips.”

“Ray-”

“Did you lose your guts in the last battle.” With heavy steps, Michael in full armor walked up to them: “You killed the man everyone feared and now you are scared to say a few words to people, who probably rather care about that you are wasting their free time than about you?”

Ray threw him a haunted look. Since the old kings downfall, he had barely seen the warrior and still hadn't talked to him. First of, his days were long and he had also feared that conversation.

“What are you doing here?”, Gavin asked suspicious. As far as Ray knew, the jester hadn't had a word with Michael either.

“The Counselor and the Knight are standing behind the King, right?”, he shrugged. “I know you haven't decided on these roles yet and that you would be damn stupid to chose Gavin for either one of these-” “Hey!” “But it will look better that way.”

Ray couldn't help but smile at that reasoning, feeling the weight getting lifted from his shoulder: “Thank you so much.”

“Then let's get this thing started before they all simply leave.”

“Wait a moment!”, the jester demanded, starting to tug at Rays clothes before the warrior pulled him away. “Stop that and let him go! You are not his overprotective girlfriend.”

“But Michael...”

Listening to their old bickering, Ray snickered. At least something here was familiar.

“Come on, lads.” he mumbled, stepping into the sunlight. At the edge of the balcony was a little podium and he was glad for that, so that he could actually look over the banister without standing on the tip of his toes. On the other hand he could see the unbelievable large crowd beneath him and felt again all his words slip away.

He didn't seem to be the only one. It grew quieter as the people noticed him, looking up.

Soon the wind was the only noise, blowing his deep red coat like a banner, a sharp contrast against the blue sky. He stared down, once again feeling the need to flee but his legs wouldn't move. Soon everyone down there would start to whisper again, confused and amused by the behavior of their king but by now the only words he heard were from Gavin who stood to his left, chanting the same ones over and over. Now that he listened, he recognized the beginning of the speech both of them had written and with a deep breath he began.

It wasn't anything fancy. He told them his name, he told them his former role in the kingdom and that he had lived here all his live. Making sure they knew he was one of them. In the end he told them his decision about Fieldhollow, that the men would come back home, bringing treasures with them.

As he ended, he heard a few cheers but most of them were silent, staring up to him. He couldn't quite make out their faces or what they felt but a unsettling fear grew in him.

No response was worse than clapping or cheering or even screaming. They just stood there and stared at him.

Insecure he gulped, not sure what else to say.

That was all there was to him. And it didn't seem to be enough.

Then Michael was next to him, his sword raised into the sky and his voice loud for everyone to hear: “Long live the King!”

They fell in, the reply was loud and steady but no clear emotion laid in these words. They knew those words all too well.

Ray stepped from the podium and walked away with hasty steps, fleeing down the halls until he reached the throne room. At least something familiar to calm his nerves and forget the blank looks on all those faces.

Spinning around, he saw the other two tailing behind him: “They hate me!”

“No, Ray!”, Gavin tried to calm him down. “They just don't know you yet. They are unsu-”

“Shut your fucking mouth, Gavin. Stop sugarcoating it.”, Michael interrupted him rudely, before closing the door. “Fine, the Fool is right about one thing; they don't hate you. It's worse; they don't care about you. They don't respect you.”

“Michael!”

“I said shut up!”, he snapped at the jester before moving up to Ray. “So listen, my King. For the people out there you are nothing. They don't know you, they never heard of you. They had lived under King Geoffrey and they were fine. The Ramsey-household had been their leaders for a few decades now and so they accepted Geoff without a second thought. He was born into this, he would know what to do.

Then Ryan showed up and destroyed it all. How could a Ramsey lose to a simple Vagabond? Well, it happened and now they had to deal with that king. And he was different from Geoff, he was strict, he was cruel. He sent their men into war, he broke families apart sending criminals to the mines. They heard all about their deaths.

You wouldn't believe the stupid rumors I heard. That the new King devours human hearts to strengthen his will, that he brings sacrifices to some God of the Nether.

They feared Ryan.

Fear is close enough to respect. But you...”, he poked Ray in the chest, making him take a step back. “You are a mystery to them. Geoffs Knight, Ryans Counselor. You were close to both Kings and you killed one of them. But if you could kill the Mad King oh so easily, why haven't you done that right from the start? If you were a faithful servant to the First King why did you wait? Why did you let their suffering continue for so long, making them getting used to Ryan?” The warrior stopped himself, feeling that he wasn't talking all that much about the people anymore and rather about himself. Collecting his thoughts he continued: “So today they looked up there and saw you. Sorry to say that but you don't look like a King, you don't look intimidating at all. From down there you probably looked a bit like a stick figure. Of course they now ask themselves how someone like you could slay the Mad King. They don't trust you, Ray. You either got lucky or you had some kind of help. You are a placeholder – the throne will soon be taken by someone else.”

The king held his breath, biting on his lips when Michael laid a hand on his shoulder: “I know that it's not true. That you are a fighter, otherwise you wouldn't be here. Even if... you had some help. But the image of good guy Ray won't work on them. Gavin would probably be more trusted because most people know that Geoff took him in, even though they don't know that he was the Prince Regent. But if he told them, they would believe him, knowing Geoffs gracious heart. And they would think 'It's a Ramsey. Maybe not by blood but he was raised as one.' They would accept him just for that.

But you are either a traitor or a liar.”

The room grew quiet after that monolog and Ray wanted nothing more than to lay down. Maybe when he would wake up he wouldn't be in that position. Maybe Geoff would be back. Or Ryan. Right now he didn't mind.

“What do you think I should do?”, he asked with a dry mouth.

“Make them fear you.”

“Fear me? You just said, that I don't look intimidating yourself!”

“It already works on the guards, Red King.”

“The guards? I barely ta-”, Ray halted, knitting his brows in confusion. “Red King?”

“Haven't heard your nickname yet, your highness?”, Michael mocked him with a smirk. “You may not remember it but after you killed Ryan there were a bunch of guards pouring in, trying to grab Gavin. Somebody, and I assume it was you, told them to not let anyone pass. That's why I was too late to stop you. Anyways, you put on quite a show. You were drenched in blood, desperately holding on to your rapier, pointing it at everyone who would come close to you. Seriously; even I was scared for a moment there.

But you let me pass and after a few minutes we calmed you down enough to actually put your weapon away.

Then we walked you into your royal chamber, my liege. And you dripping blood everywhere was a sight to see, believe me. You passed quite some guards and the news spread like a wildfire. Your red coat was just the cherry on top.”

“Red King?”, Ray asked again, not sure if he liked the sound of it.

“Could be worse.”, Gavin added with a shrug.

“Anyway”, the king continued. “I don't want the people to fear me! I have stopped the war, bringing their men back! Doesn't that count for anything?”

“You stopped a war that was as good as won! Instead of increasing this kingdom, all they will get are materials. Many will think that the soldiers have fallen for nothing! They don't want gold or diamonds, most people won't get a glimpse on those anyway. They wanted a victory, most of all the proud warriors out there! Do you think they like to believe that they fought for some pretty jewels?”

“So... I did everything wrong I could have? Is that what you want to tell me?”, Ray asked, hating how desperate his voice sounded.

“Not everything but you did fuck some things up. Sorry to be the asshole who breaks it to you.”

Covering his face with his hands, Ray stumbled back until he hit the throne, finally sitting down.

“You are still mad, aren't you?”, Gavin asked quietly. “About our decision to kill Ryan.”

“More than you could imagine.” Michael threw him a look under which the Jester actually flinched: “It was reckless and unnecessary. Also don't think I am stupid. I understand why you did it but I am in no way thankful. You two are selfish people. Extremely selfish! You killed Ryan for your own goals and say it was for my sake. I never wanted that.” Breathing heavily, he closed his eyes, slowly calming down. In the end he sighed with a shrug: “Can't change that now though. I am not sure if I can forgive you two but I am here.” Turning towards Ray, his words were steady: “I am here if you need me, Red King.”

The king let his hand slip down, looking at his friend, not able to find any words. Gulping around the lump in his throat: “Michael...”

“I won't bow down to you though. Not happening.”, he winked at him, lightening the mood.

 

It took him nearly three weeks until he started to get used to his days as a king. His work didn't give him any problems, he had been too involved into Ryans business and learned enough to give him a good overview of everything. It just took him longer without a counselor.

His day began when the sun rose and usually ended late in the night. Sometimes he wondered how Ryan had found the time to sleep but on the other hand he had always found the old king in the throne room. Probably hadn't found any rest either.

At times when he decided to finally stop working, his head hurt and he felt dizzy. More than once he headed out, walking to his old room before realizing his mistake. Now the guards always reminded him and he was actually glad for that.

That was also a thing. He could never go somewhere alone. There were guards in front of the throne room, tailing him the moment he stepped out and would follow him to his destination. It bothered him, knowing that they were right outside every door he would pass, pursuing him silently.

When he finally laid in bed, starring at the ceiling because he once again couldn't find any sleep, he thought about his next steps. He knew that if he would chose his knight it would get better, that he could at least walk around with only one other person to look after him, but he figured he didn't need one.

If someone managed to get through the guards, he would just take them out by himself. Also he didn't want to ask Michael, knowing that he wasn't suited for being a knight.

Both of them had started their training as knights but Michael had dropped out pretty quickly. He lacked the patience of staying still and observant for hours. He was a man of action and would die of boredom watching over Ray.

And the warrior had enough work to do anyway. Not long ago he had been called to a ruckus at the castle gates, stopping an intruder. Since then he had demanded to guard over the kings private chambers as often as he could.

Ray had been notified later that a man armed with a sword and two daggers had tried to get into the castle, killing a guard on his way.

It scared Ray more than he wanted to admit that people were planning to murder him for his crown.

The next day he had persisted to visit the family of the fallen guard, not listening to all the people telling him how dangerous it would be. In the end he did go, drank some juice in the house of the widow, listening to her stories. He promised her food and enough money to start a new live.

She had fallen to her knees and started to kiss his hand, thanking him crying.

On the way back nobody attacked him and he was a bit disappointed by that. He had hoped to slay an assaulter to make an example.

Again he was standing on the balcony, looking over the sea of faces, telling them about the progress in the kingdom. How the last men from the front-line should return in the next few days.

They stared back with blank looks, not reacting in the slightest. No, actually their faces were strange. They were all white and empty.

He let his eyes wander, finding a single person looking back and his heart skipped a beat. These cold, blue eyes.

Ryan was standing in the middle, not even smirking, just staring at him. The moment he noticed the kings eyes on him, he made his way through the crowd.

Ray flinched, sitting up in the dark, feeling the scream erupting from his lungs. Wide eyed, he looked ahead, desperately trying to get a second glance at the former king to know from where he would attack but the room in front of him laid in complete darkness. The flames at the fireplace had long turned to ember, tinting everything red with their glow, not allowing him to see.

Breathing heavily, Ray waited for some kind of movement to catch his eye, wincing when he heard his name being whispered.

Ryan was here in the room.

Carefully he reached out for the rapier resting next to his bed but he managed to tip it over, hearing the impact and flinched away from it.

Feeling his blanket getting pulled away, he panicked, absolutely sure it was the dead man and not his own feet, as they tried to get away from the edge.

The door got ripped open and he screamed again, covering at the head of the bed as he spotted the man with a torch coming inside.

It was Ryan. Ryan was going to kill him and get his revenge. He had come back from the Nether to murder him and take the crown.

“Ray?”, asked a worried, familiar voice.

“Michael...”, he begged, hearing his own voice cracking. He should tell his friend to leave, to run away, to safe himself but he was so relieved to not be alone. “Michael, please... please he is in here...”

The warrior halted, then turned around and spoke some words. Did he alert the other guards? Good! Together they could kill Ryan! Once and for all!

But as he stepped back into the room and closed the door, he was alone, slowly walking towards Ray: “Who is in here?”

“Ryan...”, he whispered, clutching at the pillows. “He has come back. Oh god, he will kill me! Please... please help me...”

“Calm down, Ray. It was just a bad dream.”

“No, you don't understand! He came from the Nether!” Because of the torch, he could see the pitiful look on Michael really well, as his friend turned around and kneeled before the fireplace.

“Be careful.”, Ray whispered, watching as the warrior laid some logs in the ember, giving new life to the fire. The room grew brighter and frantic the king looked around, searching for the intruder that had to hide somewhere.

“No one is here, Ray.”

“But... but I saw him! I did! He looked at me and then... then he came for me...”

“You had a nightmare. A pretty nasty one, it seems.” Throwing his torch in the fire, the warrior walked back towards him: “Try to take a few deep breaths.”

“Are you sure? What if he's hidi-”

“Ray.” Michael sat down on the edge of the bed, putting a hand on the trembling shoulder of his friend: “I stood outside your door for the past hours, nobody got through me. I _am_ sure.”

Slowly he started to calm down, finally taking in his surroundings. By no means he was at the balcony, he never had been since his first speech. He was in his room, on his bed and in his nightgown, a pillow tightly clutched against his chest like a little child.

“I...”, he started, hearing his voice still tremble a little. Rubbing his face, he could feel how sweaty it was: “Sorry, Michael.”

“It's alright.” The warrior picked the covers up from the floor, where they had been kicked before: “Come on, lay back down.”

“No, it's fine. I am awake now-”

“You've gone to sleep like two hours ago and don't take this personal but you should really get a bit more of that if you want to stop looking like shit!” A lot more gentle than his words, he wrapped the blanket around his shaking friend: “Also you are cold.”

“I am really sorry.”

“Don't be stupid. You just need to rest for a bit now.”

“I don't think I can.”

“Should I stay with you?”, Michael offered, watching as Ray grew quiet, before he nodded timidly.

“Alright. You better scoot over a bit, I am not sleeping on the floor.” Standing up, he got rid of his armor, before settling down again: “Also no cuddling, King or not.”

“Sorry...”, Ray mumbled, embarrassed to be in such a situation. But his body was still trembling and he had to fight the desire to look behind his back every few moments.

“Say that again and you'll be on the floor.”, Michael growled, but his eyes got soft as he saw his friend curled up, still holding on to the pillow.

“Gavin does that too, you know.”, he mumbled, letting his hand rest on Rays head in the hope to stop the shaking.

“Does what?”

“Having nightmares. He dreams rather violently, like rolling around, kicking and punching.”

“I remember that he did that a lot when we were younger. A few times while we still were training, he would sneak out and come to the little barracks we shared, scared out of his mind after a dream.”, Ray said slowly, feeling that Michael tried to comfort him. It slowly worked and he started to relax.

“He still does that. It had subsided in the last years but after Geoff died he showed up at my door in the middle of the night. Of course I let him stay and the poor guy was so exhausted, he fell asleep right on the spot. But his dreams didn't just stop there. He screams and cries a lot during them and is absolutely disoriented when he wakes up.” For a moment he was silent, before he admitted: “It's terrifying.”

“You know what he dreams about?”

“No clue.”, he sighed, letting his head rest on his free arm. “Anyway, what I actually want to say: I don't mind it. Just... come to me if you need to. Or rather call, I'll probably be in front of your door again. I am a warrior and that means I am here to protect, so... you know.”

“I never knew you had such a gentle side in you.”, Ray mocked him, getting slapped immediately, before the hand rested on his hair again.

“Shut you face, my liege.”

“Fine. Thanks anyway.”

“It's nothing. And now go to sleep before all this sentimental bullshit is making me throw up.”

 

Ray was hunched over his documents, planning to finish them as quick as possible so he maybe could head to the roof today. He hadn't managed to do that since he had become a king.

Sure, he still saw his friends, they were usually not far away but it didn't feel the same anymore. The moment other guards were close, they had to play their roles and even though seeing Michael treating him respectfully and bowing whenever he saw him, had been funny at first but it had quickly lost his charm.

Gavin was probably even worse and reminded him of the prince regent instead of the jester with his behavior.

Sighing, the king tried to read the same sentence again and again, feeling the burning stare on his back. Sometimes he really disliked Gavins company, even though his friend only did it for his sake but it was days like these when he needed to get stuff done and the jester just wouldn't let him rest.

“What?”, he snapped, turning around to Gavins irritated face. Well, to be fair he had ignored him for nearly half an hour, in which the jester had sat on the carpet, quietly staring.

“I heard rumors from the guards.”, he sputtered, happy to finally speak.

“So?”

“About you and Michael! They said, he spent the night with you a few days ago!”

Fighting a giggle, he acted unknowing: “Well, he guarded my room.”

“Not like that, Ray!” Gavin leaned forward like a determined, little child.

“Fine. Guess there is no way to deny this anymore.” Putting his work down, he sighed heavily: “Your boy is cheating on you. To be more specific; he's cheating on you with me.”

“What?!”, the jester screeched, but rolled his eyes when Ray began to laugh. “Oh, very funny.”

“I know! You should have seen the look on your fa-”

The door to the throne room got ripped open and both of them were on their feet immediately. The light mood vanished as they made out Michael, blood splattered across his face, Mogar resting on his shoulder also leaving red drips behind him.

“Michael!” Gavin was by his side within seconds, taking his face into his hands to search for wounds.

“Are you hurt?” Ray tripped his chair over before hurrying to his friend.

“I am fine.” Gently he shoved the jester to the side, turning towards the king: “I really need to talk to you.”

“What happened?”

“A group wanted to get your head. Again, if I might add.”

“Is someone hurt?”

“Besides them? No.” His hand brushed some curly locks out of his forehead and Ray noticed the shaking.

“Sit down. Gavin, get some water for him.” Leading the warrior to the table, he picked the chair back up before letting him sit down: “So what do you want to talk about?”

“Kinda same thing as before.” He let Mogar rest against the table, thanking Gavin as he handed him a goblet: “The attacks won't stop until they either fear or respect you. Sorry to break it to you, but respect doesn't really work on that part.” Taking a large gulp, he emptied the water. “I am not saying to turn into Ryan but something needs to happen, Ray. One day one of them will slip through the guards.”

“Then I will take them down!”

“I know you will. That's not my point though.”

Ray bit his lips, his mind racing: “What if I just decline Geoffs rule?”

“Then your first born son will take the throne. You should start getting yourself laid.”, Michael replied with a mocking voice. “For the record that you don't have a child, you would have to chose a heir and let's face it; there aren't really any good candidates for that. Also whoever manages to kill you would probably just go after your heir afterward.”

Sighing, the king rubbed his face, wishing he wouldn't need to do this: “Gavin?”

“Yeah?” The Jester looked up to him, a carafe in his hand.

“The assassin from Fieldhollow we captured, what happened to him?”

“I don't know... he is probably still in the dungeon.”

“Good. I want a public execution as soon as possible.”

Michaels head shot up, eying his friend carefully, as he progressed his words.

“What?”, Ray snapped at the worried look he got from both of them. “That's what you guys wanted, right? Nobody will care for him anyway!”

Clearing his throat, Gavin put the carafe down: “What... what kind of execution did you have in mind?”

“I want to see him hang. And make sure I am there too, as close as possible. That scum had me worried sick, making me think I would die.”, Ray hissed venomous.

“Alright.”, he voiced quietly.

“If you can, let it drop, that back then I beat three intruders. Maybe that will help a bit too.”

Michaels eyes still rested on him as he turned to hold his gaze: “Was one of todays intruders captured?”

“No, I killed them.”

“Let the guards know, that if possible they should capture them. Only if it means no harm to them of course. I want to hang every single one who's oppressing my words.”

“I will tell them.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we start with the King Ray Chapters; hope you guys enjoyed it!  
> The next one is already finished and I will start editing as soon as possible, so I should be able to publish it next weekend!  
> The song for Rays-Reign is Stranger by Johnny Hollow~


	5. King Ray 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was kinda disgusting that killing a defenseless man made him look better in their eyes.

5\. King Ray

 

_Soft like a rose cloaked in daggers_

_Your grin a disguise for all the anger_

 

It was a really beautiful day. The sky stretched blue over them, not a single cloud was seen and the sun shone warm but not too hot. Birds were probably chirping but Ray couldn't hear it over the voices of the huge crowd. Many people had gathered to watch the executing, most of them had never seen one in this peaceful country and so it was a big event.

The king wasn't sure if he should be disgusted by that but it was certainly what he had hoped to see.

Right now, he was in a little tent they had erected for him, waiting for the sign to walk to the podium to watch the show up close, feeling his heart hammering fast. He hadn't decided what to feel yet.

Gavin was beside him, refusing to look outside while he nervously walked back and forth in the little space. He certainly wasn't happy with Rays decision but first of it was too late to change it now and secondly he wouldn't. This was after all for his own safety and the one of his men, too.

Pulling the heavy fabric away, Michael stepped in: “They bring him to the gallows now. Are you guys coming?”

“Sure.” The king stood up, giving the jester a quick look: “What about you?”

“Leave him here. He will throw up.”, Michael mocked him.

“Shut up!”, Gavin snapped, but didn't deny it.

“Alright, we'll be back soon enough.” Ray followed the warrior outside, surprised as the crowd screamed: “Long live the King! All hail King Ray!”

Unsure, he stopped, letting his eyes travel over the faces that were by no means blank. They were filled with anticipation and the people shifted excited.

“Do something.”, Michael whispered and nervous the king raised his hand, waving at the people.

They started to cheer, chanting his name over and over again.

The warrior moved on and Ray quickly followed him, still a bit unsettled about that behavior. He understood that they just celebrate the show he would offer them in a few minutes and not himself but he could still feel how it got to him. It was hard to concentrate when each of his steps was followed by rejoice and clapping hands.

Gladly, he stopped when Michael did as they reached the podium with an excellent look over the gallows. It was so close that he could clearly see the face of the captive as he was guided to stand in front of the crowd, as well as the thorns they had added to the rope. They wanted to emphasize his love for flowers by throwing them at the body but he figures it would be a waste.

This here wasn't something beautiful, so thorns were way more fitting.

The anticipation rose as the rope was put around his neck but the man didn't seem to pay attention to the people around him or the fine cuts he was getting, he looked straight into Rays face.

The king didn't bother to react to it. The last time he had seen this man, he had tried to kill him, so the tables had turned and that wasn't his problem. They both had acted on their orders, so there was no place for guilt.

But when the floor underneath the captive vanished and the terrible noise of breaking necks echoed over the place, he felt sick in his stomach, balling his hands into fists to keep from flinching.

The short silence followed more cheers as the man hung there motionless, his head being forced into an unnatural angle.

Slowly, Ray exhaled, happy that it had happened quickly and without any problems. Turning his head, he found Michael, maybe a bit pale but he was right beside him when the king moved back towards the tent, accompanied by more screams about his long life as roses were thrown at him.

It was kinda disgusting that killing a defenseless man made him look better in their eyes.

Stepping into the shadow of the tent, he saw Gavin sitting on the ground, the hands tightly locked over his ears, eyes closed.

Michael kneeled down next to him, touching him gently. The jester flinched, but lowered his arms when he noticed his friends.

“It's over now.”, the warrior whispered. “We can go back.”

“Alright. Sorry, Ray.”, he mumbled embarrassed while standing up.

“There is nothing to be sorry about.”  
“I should have gone out there! I should have been with you!”  
“You were here, even though you despise it. There's nothing more I can ask from you.”

“I just don't like seeing people die. Sorry.”, Gavin sighed heavily.

“That's some stupid thing to be sorry about.”, Michael said flatly, before giving him a punch against the shoulder. “Let's go.”

 

The king had been asleep when Gavin entered the room and taken aback by that, he stopped, debating if he should just leave in fear of waking him up. In the end he quietly closed the door and stepped ahead.

The food that had been brought to him a few hours ago was left untouched but that didn't mean a thing. Rays eating habits had turned to the worse, so most of the time he simply forgot it over the work he had to do.

Right now he had curled up on the throne, head laying on the armrest leaving his crown crooked, legs dangling down. It wasn't a calm scene; the eyes under his lids rolled and his fingers grabbed tightly at his coat, shaking under the tension.

He was dreaming and it didn't look like it was about something pleasant.

Worried, Gavin bent over, touching the flushed cheeks, feeling the slight fever coming from exhaustion.

“Oh Ray.”, he sighed, before he sat down, letting his back rest against the throne. He should let him sleep some more and maybe he could get him to his room when he woke up. Not that he actually believed that.

Yesterday had been the third execution. This time two men who had drunkenly decided to kill the king.

Neither Ray or Michael had asked him to come along but of what he had heard from the guards was, that one of the man had been dead instantly, while the other had struggled, dancing on a ground that hadn't been there.

Only thinking about it, he could feel himself get sick.

Above him, the king whimpered quietly but when Gavin checked on him, he was still asleep.

Hopefully Geoff would come back soon. The strain they were putting on Ray was getting too much. If he would just get some help!

Dropping back down, he tried to remember about the Nether, even though he had worried about those information so much, they had burned itself in his brain. It made him have nightmares like when he was a kid. They were full of helplessness, darkness and unshaped monsters.

But the more he researched the more it became clearer; the time a person needs to get out of the Nether depends on them. It could be days, it could be years.

He had always believed Geoff would be back in a matter of weeks.

It had been too long.

Ray flinched with a low cry, nearly kicking him in the head. The crown finally falling down with a clonk and the king darted away from the noise, as if he would get attacked by it.

“Ray!” Gavin sat up quickly, grabbing his friend: “You just had a bad dream. It's alright!”

Breathing heavily, he didn't seem to hear him, one hand clasp tightly on the handle of his weapon, while he looked around the room in search for danger.

“Gavin?”, he whispered, his eyes wide.

“Yeah. I'm here, please calm down.”

Slowly he relaxed, rubbing his sweaty face as he slobbed back against the cushions. His chest was still raising frantic as he covered his eyes, swallowing loudly: “Sorry.”

Standing up, the jester squeezed himself to sit next to his friend on the throne. Blinking through his fingers, Ray gave him a shaky smile: “What are you doing? I can hang you for that.”

“You won't.”, he simply stated, after he managed to fit into the tight spot. “You want to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Fine. I won't leave then though.”

“I can't work like that, Gavin.”

“Too bad. Guess you could go to your room and sleep for real. Like in a bed or something.”

“Nice try.”

He shoved Ray roughly with his elbow: “Stop joking about it!”

“I'm fine.”

“No you are not!”, Gavin said agitated, lowering his eyebrows. “You are overworked and you need sleep and you will get sick if you keep going like this!”

“Gavin...”, the king sighed irritated, probably thinking about pushing him from the throne.

“I am just worried.”

“I know, but you don't have to be.”

Huffing, the jester crossed his arm, nudging his friend in the process but not moving from his spot.

They sat there for a few minutes in complete silence until the king buried his face in his hands: “Sorry... I didn't want to snap at you. I'm just a bit angry.” Laughing cold, he added: “I am angry all the time. Feels like I am Michael.”

“It's fine, Ray.”

“No it's not! It's not your fault that Geoff established this stupid law, it's not your fault that all this shit happened!”

“It's my fault that you sit on this throne now.”, Gavin replied slowly and Ray clenched his jaw. He took a few calming breaths, before he said: “It was the right thing to do. We saved Michael.”

Which didn't mean he was forgiven, Gavin knew that. Feeling incredible guilty, he let his head rest against Rays shoulder, not knowing how to make it up to him.

The tensed muscles relaxed beneath him and the king leaned back, making it more comfortable for both of them.

“It's just so strange.”, he muttered, his voice sounding softer. “There are people out there and they want to kill me. There are probably people inside here who want to kill me. And in the process to get to me, they hurt the people around me. So I catch them and I hang them and I see how they cry and how they plead for mercy and how scared they are and how their life leaves their eyes and I think: 'That's it. Now they have learned. That was the last one.' But they _just won't stop_!”

“Michael will do everything to protect you.”

“I know! But I don't want him to! He has started to guard the castle, he stands outside my room as often as he can and when I wake up after dreaming the same nightmares over and over again, he is also there and calms me down like I am a little child. And then I fall asleep and they just come back and I see Ryan again. He hunts you and I can't stop him, so he kills you and then he kills me. Or I see a group of strangers coming inside this room and I just know that they somehow managed to get past Michael and that means he is also dead and it just won't stop!”

“Nothing of that will happen, Ray.” Scooting even closer, the jester hoped to stop the slight trembling he could feel: “Michael would never lose a fight. And furthermore; before Ryan steps a foot inside this castle, Geoff will be long back! There is no wa-”

“Then where is he! What is taking him so long!”, Ray snapped. “I am so sick of sitting in his place all day, being all alone until someone walks in and I yell at them because I can't continue the stupid work. But I should actually be grateful because otherwise I would have no time to talk to someone! It's just so damn frustrating!”

Gavin reached out and hugged him tightly, ending the monolog. It was the only thing in his mind he could think of, not knowing the answer to Rays question. So he held him for several minutes, waiting until the trembling stopped and until his own thoughts made sense again.

“I can't protect you.”, he whispered against dark hair. “But I will make sure that you won't get lonely. And I don't care if you get mad and scream at me. Michael does that too, I'm alright with it. I'm just sorry that I haven't noticed it earlier.”

Ray didn't answer, he just sunk into the touch, nestling against Gavins neck and stayed quiet. After a while the jester was sure he had gone back to sleep again.

 

The next weeks were awful. There had been one more intruder, but he was killed by the guards before he got closer to the castle. Still it took its toll on Ray and he snapped even more at Gavin than usually. To see that his friend still answered with a smile, even if it was this time a bit shaky, just increased his guilt.

He was mad at himself for screaming at the jester just because he couldn't handle the situation better.

“You're dismissed for today.”, he mumbled, rubbing his tired face.

Gavin, who was practicing some card tricks, looked outside, seeing the sun setting: “It's gotten late, huh?”

“Yeah, sorry for keeping you.”

“Not at all.” Letting the stack vanish, he stood up, hurrying towards the windows. Whatever he saw seemed to increase his mood immediately and he turned towards the king: “Michael is already on the roof. Why don't you join us today? It's been so long!”

“We both know that I ha-”

“Pretty please, Ray? Just for an hour? For the sake of the good old times?”, he pleaded, his hands actually clasp together in a silent pray.

Ray rolled his eyes, already getting irritated but considering his growing headache and the scattered documents, it sounded like a much better way to spent his time. The jester seemed to notice his wavering, walked up to him and took his hand: “Come on! The work won't vanish!” Tugging, he managed to get him from the throne and sighing the king gave in: “Fine. But only for a short time.”

“Sure! It's better than nothing!” They stepped out of the throne room and guards tailed them right away, getting on Rays nerves. Huffing angry, he turned around, ready to yell at them, when Gavin squeezed himself between them: “Sorry guys! But I will take the King for a little stroll! Hope you don't mind!”

Their look told them that they did mind it a lot but they didn't even care to answer the jester as they looked for Ray.

“Get back to your posts.”, he ordered immediately, trying hard to keep in mind that they just did their job. They just wanted to keep him safe.

“My liege, with all respect but with the current situation you shouldn't walk aro-”

“Get back to your posts, Guards!”

“Our place is by your side, Red King!”, they said with heavy voices and Ray bit hard on his tongue to not scream at them. They were right after all.

“We just want to go to the dinning hall.”, Gavin tried to compromise quickly. “There we will meet Michael Jones who is going to protect the King. So how about you escort him until then?”

They didn't as much as look at Gavin and again Ray felt his anger rise. Yes, he was just a jester but that didn't give them the right to treat him like that!

“Fine. We'll do it like that.”, he replied, with a strained voice as he walked ahead. “And after that you two are going to leave!”

“Yes, your Highness!”

He shushed them away, when the roof came into view and felt a weight lift from his shoulders, seeing them go. Gavins laugh at that caught the warriors attention and a smile spread on Michaels face as he stood up.

“My King!”, he did an elegant bow, which wasn't easy carrying the big sword on his back. “If I had known you would get in touch with the normal folks I'd had taken a bath or two before coming here.”

“Oh shut up.”, Ray replied, giving him a slap against the head. He sat down on the edge, letting his feet dangle. It really had been too long since he enjoyed this familiar view.

Gavin and Michael were already fighting about something but he decided to mindlessly listen, as he lied back, feeling the setting sun on his skin, tinting the world in a pretty red.

Closing his eyes, he was nearly ready to fall asleep on the spot but the crown dug into the back of his head uncomfortably.

Gavin watched, as his friend took off the crown and letting it rest next to him. It was visible what a weight he had just gotten rid of and the jester congratulated himself for this simple idea.

Continuing to mock Michael, they let their friend have his peace for the time being. It wasn't until they reached a comfortable silence, when the warrior asked quietly: “Ray?”

The king opened his eyes immediately but mumbled a bit sleepily: “I'm awake.”

“I've meant to ask you for quiet some time now but... any chance we will go into war? You know, to increase the kingdom. After the... victory over Fieldhollow we got so many materials tha-”

“I killed Ryan to stop this war.”, Ray answered slowly, as he sat up.

“I know. But the soldiers have all these new weapons and armors and we have so many diamonds! We are ready to-”

“No.”

Michael bit his lip as he hissed: “Fine.”

Restless, Gavin looked from one to the other, feeling the tension rising and he tried to think of something to say, when Ray shook his head: “God you must be stupid.”

The air in Gavins lungs vanished unused as he saw Michael clench his jaw.

“Asking something like that. Why do people like you always want to fight? Won't you ever get enough?”

“Oh yeah, because I am clearly the one looking for a fight here.”, the warrior growled. “I just figured that Geoff should come back soon and he would be pretty damn impressed when his kingdom had increased. Sorry for speaking my mind.”

“Geoff.”, Ray laughed. “If he would come back he would have already.”

Michael spun towards him but it was Gavins voice that rose: “You do not talk about him like that!”

Both of them grew quiet and in the end the king stood up: “I will leave then. Seems like I am not welcome here.”

“Of course you are welcome.”, Michael provoked. “But only if it's allow to ask a simple question without you biting my head off!”

“I am fine with simple questions – I am just offended by your stupid ones!”

“Get over it! I am sorry for thinking of ways to improve this kingdom, Red King!” The warrior jumped to his feet but as he walked towards Ray a rapier was pointed at him. “Really? We both know how our fights turn out and I wouldn't want to hurt my King, would I?”

“God you are so arrogant!”, the king spit. “Of course you would win this fight, right? And of course you know what's best for this kingdom!”

“It was just a suggestion, now get over it!”, came the answer with barely controlled voice.

“Guess what, Michael! Sometimes you are wrong! Sometimes you should let other people think and concentrate on using that stupid sword of yours!”

“I swear to god I am going to-”

„Then come at me, oh you great warrior!”, Ray screamed, the rage erupting from his chest.

Michael didn't need to be told twice as he launched forward, drawing his weapon in a swift movement and bringing it down hard. The king side stepped, swinging his rapier in an elegant motion. The warrior managed to dug under it, loosing a few strands of his hair as he landed a hit, burying his elbow in Rays stomach.

The sound as the air escaped the kings lungs was like a breeze as Michael stepped hard on his foot, keeping him from escaping. Bringing Mogar in a vertical strike from below, Ray barely brought his weapon between them, not quite strong enough to keep the rapier in place, letting the blade connect with his face.

Hissing in pain, he felt the weight leaving his feet before a kick on his chest sent him flying.

Lowering his sword, Michael straighten himself, watching as his friend got back on his knees. With a smug grin, he felt like he proved his point, waiting for Gavin to yell at him as he turned towards the jester.

But it was Rays voice that reached his ears: “Ryans strikes were a lot more powerful, you know.”

The warrior halted, seeing Gavins pleading look to just stop. On the other hand he could feel his blood pulse through his veins, only starting to get agitated.

“And he had not such a big sword as you have.”, the king teased him and with a heavy huff, Michael turned on his heels.

There was blood on Rays face, coming from a cut right above his left eyebrow and that let him calm down a bit.

“Let me look at that wound.”, he offered, restraining his voice. But as he stepped ahead the king pointed his sword at him, falling into a battle stance. Taken aback, Michael stopped immediately, feeling his own rage bubble up again, but that was nothing as to what he saw in Rays eyes.

“Fine.”, he growled, hearing Gavin sigh heavily behind him.

“Lads, please. Ray, he broke your arm once before, why won't you learn?”

Nobody paid attention to him.

“You want a serious fight?”

“I will give you one! What you are doing is another story.”

“Big words for such a small man.”, Michael mocked him. If Ray needed to let go of some steam, so be it. He was in the right place to do so.

The king came at him and for the first time he felt a small amount of fear. Ray had always been fast, but he was in front of him in the blink of an eye. This time Michael barely dodged, only staying on his feet because he used his weapon to support his weight as he stumbled out of reach.

The blade had nearly cut his throat and it came down on him again, making him fall to his knees and hiding behind Mogar. The impact rippled through the diamonds, as he swung his sword, forcing the king to retreat.

Somewhere behind him, Gavin screamed their names, begging them to stop. He had also noticed that Ray showed no mercy and in his eyes Michael could only find rage.

His guts told him, that the emotion wasn't directed at him.

Throwing a quick glance over his shoulder, he wanted to tell the jester to not get involved and was surprised how close he was to the edge of the roof. He knew this place, it was stupid from him to notice this so late. Needing to move forward, he turned around, finding Ray in his face. Michaels reflexes made him sidestep to safety as his friend passed him, his feet finding only emptiness.

The warrior reached out, feeling the red coat slipping from his fingers.

Then Gavin was next to him, probably the only person who could balance on the edge enough to grab Rays arm, spinning him around and pulling him back up.

Michael felt his heart skip a beat, feeling the cold grip around it as the jester swayed on his tiptoes. This time he managed to grasp the ends of Gavins scarf, hearing the choking sound as he jerked his boy back.

In the corner of his eye, he saw something red and he shielded the jester with his body, feeling his own foot slip across the edge when the rapier slammed against Mogar.

With all the strength he could muster, he hurled Gavin to safety, before he caught himself, pushing Ray back. Away from that damn abyss.

The kings breath was ragged but he just wouldn't stop hauling at him and Michael only hoped that his strength would run out soon.

It happened eventually.

Mogar crashed down onto the rapier and Rays arms seemed to just give out, letting his defense fall. The sword, barely stopped by the impact, buried itself in his side. The sound of shattering rips was heard clear in the night air and for a second Michael saw the rage fade in those eyes, showing a deep sorrow. Then there was a smile and Ray actually seemed glad that it was over, before the force threw him to the ground, rolling over the stones until he finally stopped.

It grew quiet. Terrible, terrible silence engulfed them.

The warrior could hear his own blood pulsing in his ears and feel his chest rise heavily, trying to understand what had just happened.

Ray moved slightly and Gavin ran, falling to his knees next to him, helping him turn on his back.

The kings left side had been forced open with a clean cut, letting blood escape his body like a broken vessel. His ribcage looked like something heavy had dented it, bulge showed were bones treated to break skin.

Rays eyes searched for him, round and scared and the jester bend over him, calling his name terrified. His friend answered, moving his lips fast without making a sound with them.

A cry ripped itself from Gavins throat as he took his friends face in his hands, wiping escaping tears away.

“It's alright. It's alright, stay calm.”, he whispered over and over again.

Ray would die.

He could feel the deathly wetness of that fact soaking his clothes. “Don't move. It's going to be alright. It's alright, Ray.”

The kings eyes shifted and Gavin looked over his shoulder. Michael was standing behind him, pale as a ghost, ready to faint any second.

Surprising strong hands took hold of his upper arms and he turned back around, catching Rays horrified look.

“I'm here, Ray.”, he heard his own voice breaking, his body trembling from another sob as he gently stroked his hair. “It's going to be alright. I'm here.”

The hands tugged at him and he bowed down, letting his head rest against Rays, crying helplessly into his ear: “I won't go. It's alright, I'm here. I'll stay, so you can just... you can just sleep. It's alright. I'm staying, Ray. I am he-”

Someone took hold of his scarf and the second time today he choked as he was pulled away. Screaming, he blindly fought against the grip, trying to get back to his friend. The guard holding him, wrapped an arm around his neck, forcing him away as he kicked and punched with all the strength he could find.

Behind him Michael yelled, this time not louder than Gavins own voice as he was overpowered and restrained. Someone threw him to the floor, keeping him down with way stronger hands.

Disorientated, he turned his head, searching for Ray. He laid to his right, a guard sitting next to him, feeling for a pulse. Gavin didn't need to see him shaking the head, the lifeless eyes staring to the place where he had been seconds ago were answer enough.

Giving up the fight, the jester wept silently, not able to look away.

The noises around him were still so incredibly loud, covering his own thoughts but they slowly began to form into words.

“Let him go! He didn't do it! Let him go!” That was Michael. He also sounded like he was crying, still holding up his voice stubbornly.

“Let Gavin go! It was me! I killed him!” His breath hitched in his throat, sounding desperate: “It's an order! I am the new King! Let him go! I am the King! Don't hurt Gavin!”

The weight pressing him down vanished and the jester forced himself to his knees, feeling the sadness turn into disbelieve. Michael was still screaming, a confused looking guard barely managing to hold on to him. In the end he decided to let the warrior go, not thinking he would just fall down, not even making an attempt to catch himself.

Michaels face was red and wet but he seemed to calm down, seeing his friend safe. In the blink of an eye, Gavin was on his feet, tackling the warrior to the ground, beating him with shaking fist.

He didn't defend himself, listen to the screaming as he laid there. The guards came to his aid, pulling the raging jester from him as he sat up again.

“Don't hurt him.”, he repeated. “Let him go.”

“My liege, he wi-”

“Let him go!”

Gavin slid to the floor as the hands vanished, his legs not able to hold him up anymore. This time he didn't launch himself at Michael, realizing it was futile. Instead he crawled towards Ray, whimpering miserable. With trembling hands he closed those dead eyes, before he laid down. Sobbing exhausted into the unmoving chest, wanting nothing more then to feel a beat of some sort underneath the skin. It was like he could bring him back if he just wished hard enough.

It didn't work.

He felt terrible for the fact that it didn’t work.

 

It grew colder as he laid there. Colder and darker and one of his thoughts was to keep Ray warm, to stop his shivering. It was actually his own trembling that shook the lifeless body but he refused to make that connection.

So he was actually glad when someone put a blanket over him, until he realized it didn't cover his friend. Angrily, he shifted, nestling even closer to Ray to share the warmth.

Letting his head rest again on the chest, he waited patiently for the drum to start beneath him, watching as someone sat down next to them.

It was Michael and after he buried his face in his hands, he refused to move from the spot.

So they both waited in silence as the blanket soaked in the red and night fell upon them.

Sometimes Gavin noticed that he was crying again, sometimes he noticed that he had stopped, returning to crushing nothingness in his mind.

Sometimes Michael would take a huge breath as if he wanted to say something but it always ended in a long, shaky exhale.

Gavins eyes rested on him the whole time as he held on to Ray. It wasn't comfortable. His bones protested against the hard ground, his throat pulsed from his choking and screaming and crying, still he could feel the exhaustion taking over. But he knew, if he would fall asleep he would miss the first heartbeat.

Michael shifted and tiredly the jester let his lids drop, figuring what would happen now upon hearing the steps closing in on them.

“Gavin.”, the warrior whispered, his voice hoarse and low. “Gav, come stand up. They want to take him.”

Shaking his head, he buried his face in the cold chest. Still he didn't fight back as he was gently pulled away, squeezed tightly against Michaels body as they sat there waiting.

It was way warmer now and so he rather would let Ray keep the blanket but it was wrapped securely around him.

Guards came in his line of sight and panic erupted in his head like fire, nearly splitting it in half: “No!” They would take him away!

“No! Wait! Don't take Ray! Don't touch him!” The arms around him held him tight as he began to stir, trying to break free.

The guards halted, throwing them a look that wasn't directed at him and somewhere in his confused mind Gavin understood: “Michael! Michael make them stop! They want to take Ray away!”

He got squeezed so tight that it hurt as the warrior buried his face in his hair, his whimpering breaths tickling Gavins neck.

“Please, Michael! They can't do that!”

“Gavin.”

“I can't leave him! I promised!”

“Gav-”

“Ray is scared! I can't leave him! Please, Michael! Make them stop!”

“Gavin, he is dead.”

“He got hurt. He is in pain, I need to stay with him! Don't let them take him somewhere!”

“He is dead, Gavin. Please understand. Ray is dead.”

He started crying again, reaching out to the body lying in front of him: “No! Let him stay! They have to go and leave him here! I don't want him to be alone! He will get cold!”

Michael called him but it came out as a sobbing mess, not representing a word at all. The jester finally broke from the shaking arms, nearly reaching Ray as the guards caught him, pulling him to his feet and towards the castle.

“No!”, he screamed horrified, throwing his weight against the strong grip. “Let me stay! Let me stay with him! Don't- Michael!”

The warrior hunched over, covering his ears to shut the world out but of course he couldn't ignore the next words.

“Help me! Michael, make them stop! Help me!”

So he shouted the order and again Gavin fell to the floor, too exhausted to walk, so he crawled towards the corpse. Gently, and way calmer than he should be able to, he laid Rays head in his lap, stroking the hair out of his face.

After a few moments, he stopped, slowly opening the brooch, letting the red coat slide from the cold shoulders before he pressed the metal to his lips. Taking in some calming breaths, he wrapped the blanket around Ray in an effort to keep him warm.

This was better now.

Nodding, he wasn't exactly sure what he agreed upon but his strength was gone anyway, so he didn't protest as they took hold on Ray and carried the body away.

He just pulled the stained coat towards him, hugging it close until the steps faded, leaving him in terrible silence. Somewhere Michael was talking to him, really quietly but he couldn't be bothered to listen or to move, the exhaustion burning too deep in his bones.

So the warrior moved him, scooping him on his back, carrying him inside. He snuggled against the warmth, his fingers still clinging to the red coat as he forced his eyes closed. He was asleep before they reached his room.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we go again, ending the reign of yet another king.  
> Hope you guys liked it; give me a quick a comment about it, alright? That would be nice =D  
> See you next week with King Michael!


	6. King Michael 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lowering his eyes, he rather paid attention to the fact that some maid must have given Michael new clothes, fitting for his title.  
> A long, thick cloak fell from his shoulders, golden ornaments on dark blue ground.  
> All of it didn't hide how exhausted and lost he looked.

6\. King Michael

 

_I am a soldier on my own, I don't know the way_

_I'm riding up the heights of shame_

 

When Gavin woke up the first thing he noticed was, that he was terribly thirsty. His tongue felt swollen and his throat dry. Raising one lid, he winced at the sudden sunlight falling inside his room, burning his eyes and setting his brain in flames.

Pulling his blanket over his head, he shut most of the light out. By the height of the sun, he knew that he was already too late and that he should hurry up but there was no way he could move before the pain in his head subsided.

Turning away from the light, he tested to open his eyes again and it was bearable. Swallowing dry, he tried to ignore the ache in his shoulders as he started to get the vibe, that he should go back to sleep, before he would fully wake up.

With a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, he blinked in the twilight until he started to make out forms. His breath hitched in his throat as he saw the stains on his mattress and he sat up quickly. Immediately his body protested against the sudden movement, a terrible ache coming from his tensed muscles.

Also ignoring that, he threw the blanket from his bed, revealing reddish brown spots and a well known cloak. Reaching out, he stopped before he touched the fabric, noticing that his hands were covered in blood that had dried long ago.

A whimper escaped him and his head was trying to split open as he fought against the memories that tried to drown him.

Winning for now, he stood up and washed himself. That took quiet some time because the red had soaked his clothes and stained his skin but the rhythmic motion helped him not to think.

After he was clean, he drank from the carafe next to his bed until it was empty, feeling a bit more alive now. Taking the cloak, he let it fall into the washbasin, watching as the water quickly turned bright red.

He stoically rubbed the fabric together until all the blood had washed out, even if his arms burned like fire afterward.

Hanging it up to dry, he sat on the floor before it, watching the drops fall down as he slowly allowed himself to remember.

It was painful. It was incredible painful and his eyes stung and he got sick as he thought about the state of Rays body after the hit from Mogar.

How easily it had been destroyed.

For a moment it crept into his mind that it had been himself who led Ray onto the roof, but he violently pushed that away.

Mostly he wondered, when exactly Ray had died. If he had seen Gavin being dragged away or if he had at least died in the company of a friend. That was very important but he couldn't tell.

He hates the fact that he couldn't tell.

Examining his arms, he could at least see that the knight had left marks there, as he had hold on to them in his fear. Gently stroking over the bruises, he got to his feet again, starting to get dressed.

There was a place he should rather be, than sitting in his room, mourning for the dead. That wouldn't help Ray in the slightest with the test that lied before him.

Leaving his room, Gavin made his way through the hallways, feeling eyes watching his every move. Most of them were curious, some pitiful – he ignored either.

Nervous he stopped in front of the throne room, wondering if the guards would actually let him in. For a moment, he enjoyed that feeling. It was something else than sorrow and helplessness.

Breathing in, he stepped forward and even though they watched him, nobody interfered when he carefully pushed the door open.

Michael looked up and immediately got to his feet when he recognized him.

The first thing Gavin noticed was the large bruise on the kings temple and he briefly remembered punching his friend the night before. Lowering his eyes, he rather paid attention to the fact that some maid must have given Michael new clothes, fitting for his title.

A long, thick cloak fell from his shoulders, golden ornaments on dark blue ground.

All of it didn't hide how exhausted and lost he looked.

“G-gavin?”

Raising his head, he saw that Michael watched him terrified, probably because he hadn't said a word yet. So he stuttered the first thing, he could think of: “Sorry for hitting you.”

A strangled sound escaped the throat of the king as his face twisted in pain, before he covered it with his hands. Gavin moved towards him, watching silently as his friend fell to his knees, sobs shaking through his body.

The jester sat down next to him, gently guiding his head towards his shoulder, where Michael buried himself immediately.

“I killed him.”, he said trembling, disbelieve pouring out of his mouth just like the tears that run down his face. “I cut his guts open and probably punctured his lungs. I think I punctured his lungs! Oh my god, what if I did? He would've died in so much pain! I can't believe it... it just happened so fast! There was no way for me to stop Mogar anymore and I am just... I am just so sorry! I never wanted this to happen! I never meant to...” His voice trailed off into a whimper as he put his hands around Gavin, desperately searching for something to hold onto: “Why didn't I just stop! Why didn't I just walk away and let Ray be in peace! He was right, I am arrogant! I killed him, Gavin! I killed my friend! I will forever pay for that sin! I'm a traitor of the worst kind. I swore to protect the people around me, I swore it on my own flesh and blood and still...”

Resting his chin on top of the curly hair, Gavin remained silent. He wasn't quite ready to talk about it yet and even if he would be, he had no clue what to say. For now it had to be enough to just be here and hold him, while Michael wept silently, his hands clutching painfully at his back.

After a while, his breathing stopped coming out in frenetic gasps and he slumped down against his friend, so that Gavin carried most of his weight. The jester was sure that he had passed out, wouldn't he still hear him muttering quietly.

Michael apologized under his breath, the words never stopping to drop from his lips even if the names changed once in a while.

_I'm sorry, Ray. I'm sorry, Geoff. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Gavin. I'm sorry, Ray. I'm sorry, Ryan. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, Ray. I'm sorry, Ray. I'm so sorry, Ray._

Rubbing circles into his back to put his mind to rest, the chant stopped eventually and the jester guessed that Michael had finally fallen asleep.

Shifting carefully to sit more comfortable, he prepared himself to guard the peace in this room for as long as possible.

 

It was rough.

Rays death had ripped a pit between them, which was too dark and too large to ignore. Which didn't mean that they wouldn't try.

Gavin forced himself to talk. Say whatever came to his mind. He had never believed the day would come when this would become so hard for him to do.

Michael listened. He took in every word and replied, sometimes he laughed but that was rare. He didn't get mad at him. There was no yelling or calling him names. He kept in control no matter what.

It scared Gavin.

Not leaving Michaels side had become his life, always to be in reach like he was his knight. Not that he wanted one, of course not.

In some ways he was as stubborn as Ray had been.

Still Gavin knew he wasn't there to protect him from an enemy – to be fair, that was a laughable thought. It was just the way Michael sat on his throne, seeming like it was way too big or how he stared at the reports instead of reading them. It was like he was scared to move, like a choice by him would let the kingdom collapse on his head, dragging him down like the simple, golden crown he had ordered.

Seeing him like that, Gavin just knew, he shouldn't be left alone.

It started the same way it did with Ray. Michael stayed here into the night, working at whatever complains he would get throughout the day. Just that he didn’t made any progress.

Ray had known what to do, working by the kings side for so long as a knight and as a counselor, so that he learned a few tricks here and there. He had been used to it.

Michael was just unable to cope with all these unfamiliar files, as he tried his best to learn what to do.

Gavin helped him as much as he could, Geoff had taught him some of it but that was a few years back and he had a hard time remembering it. Still it went faster that way.

The fact that Michaels simply wasn't interested in politic matters didn't help at all.

He was a man of action, not for words.

At least once a day, he would stand up and walk around the room like a trapped animal. Gavin tried to bring him to go outside, maybe train or something, but he wouldn't. So the jester let him pace around, as he tried to handle the work as much as he could, until the king would take it away from him, telling him that this wasn't his job.

One time he had only watched as Gavin sat there and after a while their eyes met and he asked: “Why don't you become king?”

A heavy silence followed that simple question and the jester just stared, not daring to answer or even taking a breath. Maybe, just maybe he should've agreed. Seeing his friend so unhappy broke his heart and if that was enough to bring peace to him, he might just be able to do it.

But something in the voice of the king told him, that Michael didn't mean to simply hand down the crown.

The horror of this sentence must have shown on his face, because his friend turned away and laughed it off.

None of them mentioned it after that.

Today was one of these slow days.

The sky was gray and earlier it had rained a bit. Gavin was bored and could clearly hear that Michael was too by the little annoyed groans he would make, when he put one page down, just to reach for the next.

He had talked to him earlier but fell silent as he had not responded, to occupied with his work.

It was a nice change as a guard opened the door.

“Message from the gates, my King!”

“What is it?”

“There is a man wanting to challenge you for the crown.”

“Lead him in.”

Gavin was on his feet before the door had fallen close: “What are you doing?”

“Having a little fight. I'm getting out of shape if I-”

“That is not my point!”, screamed the jester, his voice thick with panic. “If you want to train you can go to the grounds, this is not about your ability, this is foolish!”

“There is no way that I am going to lose.”, replied Michael slowly, hoping to calm him down a bit. “I am just a bit bored, so I told the guards to let the challenge-”

“A little bored? Are you insane! What if you get killed?”

“I won't.”

“That's exactly what Geoff said, too! What will I do when you get killed? Are you-” Gavin stopped himself, hand around his throat as he shook his head violently.

Michael watched him, already starting to feel guilty for his decision: “Gavin. Please trust me. There is no way I am going to lose.”

The jester didn't answer, he had probably not even listened. He just turned on his heels and ran out of the room.

Sighing, Michael drew Mogar, feeling how he calmed down as he saw the sharp blade. Gavin never understood the importance of a fight or the deeper meaning to a battle for the death. For him life was something so important, that it needed to be protected with all cost. That wasn't necessary wrong, Michael just felt in his heart that sometimes there were some more important things needed to be protected.

Ray had felt that, too.

Not as intense but strong enough to chose his way. They had never made Gavin understand this.

He needed this fight!

Still the hurt look in Gavins eyes made him wager. The jester would not understand that he was not a murder by winning. That, as long as everyone agreed on the terms, a fight to the death would only leave warriors behind.

Not murderers.

The door to the throne room was opened and as the king looked up, he knew he was going to win. The man coming in was taller than him but his muscles weren't nearly as defined as Michaels.

He bowed down: “My liege. Please give me the honor to fight you.”

“The winner will take the crown but the loser will be sent to the Nether. Are you familiar with these rules?”

“I am.”

“So be it.”, Michael nodded, stepping ahead. “What's your name?”

“It's Rakim, my lord. I am mere a humble blacksmith.”

That explained the muscles and the way the man drew his sword with ease. But as he moved into a battle stance it was obvious that he lacked experience. The movement was well calculated and slow, not something that the body remembered but his head.

Ray had always been incredibly fast with that.

The name tasted sour on his tongue as he forced himself to concentrate on the fight lying ahead of him: “Rakim, I accept your challenge. May the best of us wi-”

The window to his right broke and he knew what was going to happen before his eyes registered the arrow hitting the man in the throat.

Rakim tumbled, falling on his back and stayed there.

It took a moment for Michael to react, still occupied with progressing what had just happened. Guards ran into the room, alerted by the breaking of the glass but he didn't pay attention to them. Turning around, he tried to get a glimpse of the archer but his sight was too bad.

With a deep growl, he headed out, snapping at the guards who followed him immediately. He was furious.

Who gave him the right to interfere with his battle! Who gave him the right to kill a warrior, ready for a fight?

The king had only made half of the way when he turned a corner, finding Gavin walking towards him. The longbow on his back, arrows clattering with each of his steady steps.

Without a word, the jester passed him so he grabbed his arm, spinning him around: “What was that? You killed hi-”

“Don't touch me!”, Gavin spat, jerking himself free as he dashed through the guards, Michael on his heel.

Still he didn't touch him again, he didn't even say a word as they reached the throne room.

Quietly, he watched as Gavin kneeled down next to the dead body. He pulled the arrow out of his throat, mumbling quietly: “What was his name?”

“Rakim.”

“I'm sorry, Rakim.” Reaching out, he gently closed the lifeless eyes, his fingers shaking: “I am so sorry. Please forgive me and may your soul rest in peace.”

Unsure, Michael let his hand lay on the jesters shoulder, not expecting to get slapped away as Gavin stood up.

“Don't.”, he hissed tensed, stepping away from the king. “Don't you ever make me do that again. Ever.”

“I never asked you to.”, Michael replied slowly.

“You made me.”, Gavin repeated, not daring to look at him, his eyes still on the dead body. He had killed a man. A sin that he was ready to carry with him.

Turning on his heels, he walked out, going straight to his room. Not that he made it until there. The sickness had already settled into his stomach since he ran to grab his bow and now he toppled over, throwing up his breakfast. With one hand he steadied his body against the wall as the other wiped over his mouth.

He hated it. He hated death and the Nether and people going blind for power. He hated the smell of his own vomit and of his own weakness, knowing that none of the others would react like that.

It was too late now anyway. Just the thought of that person killing Michael made him go into a panic-state. Not that he really believed that Michael would have lost to him.

But what if.

What if...

On shaking legs, he went on, finally reaching his room and collapsed on the bed.

He didn't return on that day, he also stayed there the next one, even though someone knocked on his door, telling him the king wanted to see him.

Gavin didn't react, holding Rays brooch tight to his chest as he waited until the person gave up.

The day after that, he washed his body and headed back to the throne room. It wasn't like he could hide forever.

Michael seemed relieved seeing him again, slowly standing up as he stepped closer: “Gavin... you have no idea ho-”

“Hey Michael.”, he mumbled before throwing his arms around the other, burying his face in his neck. “Sorry I got mad at you.”

“There is no need f-”

“For you neither.”, the jester interrupted him immediately. “It was my choice and I would do it again without a doubt.”

Michael grabbed his arms and shoved him away: “I don't want you to! Let me battle!”

Shaking his head, Gavin smiled sheepishly: “Let's not talk about this anymore, yes?”

The king wavered for a moment, before he sighed, realizing they would only fight over this: “Fine.”

For a moment they stood in front of each other in silence until Michael smirked: “I got you something.”

“A gift? What for?”

“Well, apparently not to apologize. Now close your eyes.”

Gavin did as he was told, listening to the kings step first retreating and then coming back: “Alright.”

Lifting his lids, he blinked a few times to make sure what he was seeing was real: “That's a joke, right?”

“Not at all.” Holding up, Michael presented him boots which were covered in a thin layer of gold. They even reflected the light, uncovering that the king had a hard time trying to hide his mocking grin.

“They look disgusting!”, Gavin yelled amused. “Where did you even get them?”

“Last shipment from Fieldhollow. Pretty sure they wanted to anger us. Saw them and immediately thought of you.”

“Geez, thanks.”, the jester pouted, but couldn't help but smile as Michael started to laugh. That was the first honest one since he had become king and he couldn't help to join in.

“They are even your size.”, the king chuckled and forced the shoes into his hands. “Try them on! Come on!”

“No way!”

“That's an order!”

“I refuse!”

He kept them though.

 

„My liege?“

Gavin looked up because the guard sounded terribly nervous and that usually meant that something bad had happened.

“Someone asks for an audience...”

“At such a late hour?”, Michael asks interested, obviously happy to get away from his work. “Who might that be?”

“It's the old king, my Lord.”

Gavin had the name of his fathers on his tongue as he came to his feet, but swallowed it quickly when he heard Michael whispered 'Ray!' barely audible.

“Bring him in!”

The guard fled, leaving both of them alone. The king sat straight up, his hands tightly holding unto the armrests, trying to cover up the shaking.

“It might be Geoff.”, Gavin said, not able to keep that hope in anymore.

Michaels eyes lit up surprised, as if he hadn't even thought about that but he settled into a pleasant smile: “If Geoff has made it, then Ray can do it too, right?”

“Of course.” He didn't believe it was Geoff. The face of the guards told him it wasn't Geoff.

Still he felt himself grew cold as the door opened and Ryan was lead into the room. It looked to similar too the day when he arrived and challenge Geoff.

Michael probably wasn't going to stop him if he would challenge him now. He would kill Michael.

Gavin felt like he was going to suffocate on that thought, fear choking him as he realized how little power he had over the situation.

He hated to be this helpless.

“Where is Ray?”, asked the vagabond and those words were probably the worst he could have said.

Gavin felt more than he saw how the question destroyed Michael, the noise that escaped the kings throat sounding too much like a cry as the cold, blue eyes fell on him.

“Get him out!”, Gavin heard himself scream as his feet put him in front of his friend, ready to take any hit if necessary. “Guards, get him out of here! This is no place for vagabonds!”

“Did you kill him, Michael?”, Ryan asked amused, not listening to the words of the jester.

“Leave this place, Vagabond!”, Gavin demanded loudly, walking towards the man and for the first time those blue eyes focused on him. Normally that would make him flinch but he was too mad for that. He didn't have his bow with him, he didn't even carry a sword but if necessary he would fight with his fire: “Leave this place or face the consequence!”

Maybe it was something in his voice, maybe it was something in his eyes. It could also be the fact that Ryan raised his hands in defense, even though he still smirked.

But the guards finally reacted, grabbing him and leading him out of the room.

Gavin waited until the door fell shut, shaking with anger as he tried to calm down. He could feel the heat leaving his body, nearly bursting into flames.

That was even new to him, normally he had perfect control over the fire.

As he turned around all his rage faded, his features going soft again.

Michael still sat on the throne, hands covering his face but his eyes were still visible between his fingers. They were huge and shocked.

“Mich-” The king stood up and the jester fell silent.

“I need to go.”, he just whispered, his voice a shaking mess as he passed Gavin. For a moment he considered following him.

In the end he lacked the courage to do so.

 

Later, as he laid in bed, he feared to go to sleep. Not knowing where Ryan was exactly, was frightening. He should have told them to throw him in the dungeons, in heavy chains, so that he could be sure he was locked up.

He had missed that chance.

In the end, his head calmed down enough to let him slip into a restless slumber, which turned quickly into the same terrible dreams as always. This time the shapeless shadows seemed familiar and the darkness they carried with them like a suffocating wall.

His own scream woke him, but it always took his overwhelmed mind so long to register that fact, that he still fought the monsters and the darkness.

When his conscious finally surfaced through the confusion, he recognized his room. Still shaking violently, he looked around for sights of danger, knowing they wouldn't be here. After he assured himself, he wiped over his wet cheeks, listening to his heart slowly calming down.

The dream was already fading and he hated not knowing what made him so scared but tonight he didn't try to remember. Rather, he noticed that he wasn't in his bed, even thought his blanket was still tightly wrapped around him.

He was sitting in the corner, farthest away from the door, his back pressed against his wardrobe as if he had intended to hide there.

That was a first.

He had never sleepwalked before.

His heart was still pounding against his ribs and he felt paralyzed, his body not reacting at all. That was also a thing he hated; when his mind had finally understood that it had just been a nightmare, his body refused to believe it. His muscles were still tense as if he should be ready for an attack that would never come.

He desperately wanted to go and see Michael.

Just to make sure he was alright.

Those dreams always left him scared and worried out of his mind and the easiest way to calm both of those feelings down, was to search for company.

When he was younger it had been Geoff. It had been worse when he was still a kid because he didn't seem to understand at which point the dream had ended and reality began, so he wandered through the castle, searching for his father only to wake up in his room, absolutely sure that he was alone and Geoff gone.

How often he had run out into the hallways, desperately crying out, he couldn't tell anymore but sooner or later a maid or a guard would find him, bringing him to the king.

The moment Geoff had been by his side, he knew it was over and so he spent hours sitting in the bed of the king, listening to the stupid stories he would tell him, all of them either made up or exaggerated. Both of them knew that, both of them laughed about it.

And when he fell asleep again, the nightmares wouldn't come back.

Later when he got older, he felt guilty for stealing Geoffs hours of rest and forced himself to endure whatever his mind would throw at him.

It had worked more or less for a while, before they became so bad that he feared for his sanity.

It was then, that he fled from his room, running on his bare feet through the night just to make sure that Ray and Michael were alright in their little barracks. He had told himself over and over again that they were, that nothing had happened, but his mind simply refused to believe it.

In the end it had become a tradition of some sort.

Not one he had liked but Michael never seemed to mind.

Still he had a feeling Michael would mind it now. The time of him simply walking into the kings chamber was over.

Releasing his shaking breath, Gavin finally stood up.

Walking towards the fire place, he threw in some logs to feed the flames, knowing he would need more light to find some sleep again.

Curling back into his beds, he searched under his pillow until he pulled the red cloak out, burying his face in it. Inhaling deeply, he felt his heart returning to a normal pace.

When he woke up again, the stand of the sun told him that he was already late. Cursing under his breath, he hurried to get out of his room, skipping breakfast to jog to the throne room.

Michael was already in there, his whole body tense and confused the jester asked: “What's wrong?”

“Ryan will be here soon.”, he answered shortly.

“But why?”, Gavin gasped, stepping towards the king.

“I need to ask him some things.”

“Micha-”, he stopped when his friend gave him a warning look.

“I have decided.”

Wagering for a moment, the jester nodded, not happy at all with the situation. He sat down on the chair next to the throne and they waited in silence.

It wasn't long until the door opened again and Ryan was brought in. With a movement of his hand, Michael dismissed the guards until only the three of them were in the room.

“I was surprised by your invitation, my liege.”, Ryan began with a small bow.

“And I am sorry for my... rude behavior yesterday.”, Michael replied. “You came all the way here and you were thrown out immediately.”

The vagabond let his gaze trace over him, obviously searching for a lie. Gavin eyed the vagabond carefully. Yesterday he had other things on his mind but now he noticed how healthy Ryan looked. There was no trace of tiredness on his face, no scars visible where he had been wounded.

He had been granted a new body.

“You made it out of the Nether?” Michael seemed to read his mind with that question.

“I did. I came back some days ago.”

“Why did you come back here?”

Now Ryan seemed hesitating and as he finally spoke his words were chosen well: “I figured I wouldn't be welcome here but for now there is no other place for me to go. Also you still have something that belongs to me.”

The king stood up and walked towards him, hearing Gavin take a sharp breath at that.

“I thought so, Vagabond.” He loosened a sheath from his belt, got down on his knees and offered it to the man.

Behind him, the jester called his name but he didn't bother to look back, his eyes on Ryan: “This is your sword. I have no intention to keep it as I know you have not lost it in a fair fight.”

He couldn't remember seeing Ryan at the loss of words before, but it was a somehow amusing sight to see: “Mich- My King! Please stand up!”

As he did no such thing, the vagabond took the sword, before kneeling down as well: “I thank you for your kindness. This weapon means a lot to me.”

“Ryan.”, the king whispered, so that only those two could hear him. “I need to apologize. You were killed on my watch. I should have protected you and I was not able to.” Bowing his head: “Please forgive me.”

Again Ryan seemed desperate to search for words, not finding the right ones, until Michael lowered his voice a bit more: “Just tell me one thing...”

“Everything.”, the vagabond finally managed to say.

“While you were in the Nether, did you see Geoff or Ray? Any sights of them?”

He simply shook his head, his eyes sad: “I am sorry for your loss.”

“Don't be. I let it get lost. I have to carry the burden now and accept my punishment.”

Ryan nodded slowly and followed his lead as the king stood up again. Behind his back, he could see the jester, shaking with rage just like yesterday.

It turned to shock at Michaels next words: “You can stay here if you want to.”

Ryan stared at him: “Are you sure?”

“Will you betray me?”

“Never, my King!”

Michael smiled sheepishly: “Yeah, that's what I thought. You have many faces, Vagabond but a traitor is not one of them.”

“I don't deserve your trust.” Ryan stated slowly, still a bit overwhelmed with the turn of events.

“Then work for it. I need help. I need a counselor a-”

“No!” Gavin had tried to hold back. He really had. But this went too far. “Michael you can't ta-”

“I can and I will!”, he growled without even looking at him.

“He will betray you! He just wants to get ba-”

This time Michael turned around, giving him a stern look. “He is the only one of us who has not betrayed a king.” His voice was low, vicious even.

Gavin huffed, angry at his stubborn mind: “I really think we sho-”  
“You are not the King, Jester!”

It grew quiet after that. Gavins fists were shaking, his knuckles white as he held Michaels gaze. In the end he gave in, looking at the floor instead.

“Good.” Facing Ryan, he said: “Sleep, eat. I see you tomorrow.”

“As you wish, my King.”

 

He hated it.

He hated that Michael talked to Ryan. He hated that Ryan answered. He hated those little smirks he did. He hated that Michael allowed him to do his work. He hated that Ryan did it.

He hated Geoff and Jack and Ray for not being here.

It was like he was fighting a lonely fight.

He hated it.

Gavin had tried to talk to Michael but the king wouldn't listen. He would listen to Ryan and Gavin wondered if he was jealous. Maybe a bit.

He was more concerned.

“I don't trust you.”, Gavin stood before the counselor, blocking his way through the hallway.

“I figured that much.”, Ryan replied flatly, trying to get passed him but wasn't allowed.

“What's your goal?”

“My goal? What am I? Some kind of mastermind?”, he started to laugh but stopped when he felt the intense stare resting on him.

“Why did you come back?”, Gavin hissed.

“I don't have anywhere else to go.”, Ryan replied with a low voice. “So this was the only place I could turn to. I didn't come back in hope to rule.”

“Where did you come from, Vagabond? Why can't you go back there?”

“That is none of your business, Jester.” Tired of the game, he shoved Gavin to the side and went on his way. Not that he actually believed this was over.

“Let this be a warning, Ryan. If you do a single thing to harm Michael, I will murder you.”

The vagabond turned around, seeing the other standing firmly, not breaking eye contact: “ _You_? Of all the people _you_ want to slay _me_?”

“Even if it would be my own death.”

“Well then listen to my words, Prince.” He walked up to him with steady steps, until he towered over him, his words quiet and threatening: “Even if you succeed to strike me down, I will just come back. I passed the test of the Nether, I can freely walk among the dead souls. And let this be a warning for you; I will find you.”

“I'm going to burn you, until there is nothing left of you.”, Gavin replied, noticing with satisfaction how the man before him shivered. “I am fully aware that you can now freely walk through the Nether but the rules still apply to you. The pain you felt while dying will claw at your body and bones until you reach the portal. I will make sure that you won't be able to move a single muscle.”

The cold eyes rested on him but he didn't expect a smirk forming on Ryans face: “I see you informed yourself about the Nether, too. Mind to share that little fact with Michael?”

Shocked, Gavin flinched: “Don't...”

“I wonder how he would react, knowing the pain Ray is going through right now. Mind telling me exactly how the Red King died? I wonder if he can move a single muscle like this.”

“Don't you dare!” The answer was more a snarl than words, as the jester stepped up but Ryan just grabbed his shoulders, holding him easily in place.

“It's kinda tragic, isn't it. This position you are in, I mean. You are so desperately trying to think of me as a bad person, a traitor and a demon but I am the only one here who is none of these.”

“You killed my father!”

“King Geoffrey wagered his live and lost it! I won my place fair under his condition!”

“Geoff never wanted to die and leave this kingdom to rot in your hands!”

“Then he either shouldn't have established the law or fought for that goal!” His grip got painful, surely going to leave a bruise on Gavins shoulder: “What really is making you so incredibly mad, is the fact that you start to lose sight of the people you thought you knew! You are scared by what this law has made of them!

Start to face the truth, Prince! This law just brought ahead what was laying deep within them all along. All this bloodshed, all the betrayals and all of that hate – everyone of them decided for themselves to fight, knowing what awaits them.” He let go, feeling the air waver in heat that surrounded the boy: “Always remember that: True monster don't reside in the Nether, they walk among us. In each body and each soul of humans who are hungry for blood and power. All your friends strive for one or both of it, don't they?”

Stepping back, he avoided the temperature erupting from the young man, watching with amusement how the dark blonde hair of the jester floated in the heat: “Aren't you, too? Or is it true what they say? That you are pure enough to resist? I don't believe that facade of yours, Prince.”

“Get out of my sight, Vagabond!”, he finally snapped, voice barely controlled, hands balled into tight fists.

“As you wish, my Lord.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, and here we go into the Michael chapters! His song is "Iron" by Woodkid; you should listen to it if you have the time!  
> Hope you guys enjoy!


	7. King Michael 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was dead, wasn't he?  
> He was dead and this was the Nether.  
> That thought made him smile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we go again!  
> The final chapter of Michaels-reign; hope you guys enjoy~

7\. King Michael

 

_I'm waiting for the call, the hand on the chest._

_I am ready for the fight and fate_

 

Ray slowly regained consciousness. To be honest, he had not believed to do that anymore but here he was, feeling his body again, noticing the swallow rise and fall of his chest.

He was breathing so he was still alive, right?

That sounded logical to him and he managed to open his eyes. Gavin was above him, his face twisted as he screamed without a sound, eyes overflowing and round with fear. Behind him stood Michael, pale and with slightly opened mouth, crying silently.

After blinking both of them were gone and he saw nothing but a gaping darkness over him. Taking a moment to get used to it, he managed to make out the red tint covering everything.

He liked red, he remembered that.

He didn't like that red, he knew that.

It looked scary. Strange that he wasn't scared though. Actually he felt pretty relaxed, like he could go right back to sleep again. Not that he was tired but it sounded like a good idea.

It was like waking up in bed and realizing he could rest for a bit more, before turning to snuggle back into the pillow. How could he resist?

With a content sigh, he let his eyes fall shut, enjoying the softness of his conscience slipping away.

He was dead, wasn't he?

He was dead and this was the Nether.

That thought made him smile. It wasn't that bad, he surely could get used to that feeling blossoming in his chest. It felt peaceful and lulled him to sleep.

Strange how much he had feared this place. People had been telling so many lies about it!

Maybe it was some kind of choice. Staying here and rest or go on a journey. Wasn't there some kind of portal he was suppose to find?

His eyes fluttered back open, staring straight ahead. He could get a second chance, did he want it?

Carefully, he turned his head to the left, his eyes going wide.

The red glow all around him came from fire, growing like flowers everywhere. Too far for his tired eyes to see, he made out lava, cascading like a waterfall out of the nothingness.

Now fear lingered briefly around him until it was absorbed by the dull feeling of peace. He was sure that would change the moment he would move again.

Did he want to?

Thinking about it made him tired. He recalled the faces of his two friends, knowing that they would want him to at least try. But he knew if he tried there was no turning back.

This right here and now was his choice.

Slowly, he sat up, fear growing in his chest as he looked around.

Still, he needed to apologize for some things.

Standing up, he got lightheaded immediately. It wasn't too bad, just making him dizzy a little and he rubbed his temple as he turned on his heels.

Where should he go?

Everywhere looked the same. The ground was made of red stone that seemed rough and porous, the territory around him a bit hilly but nothing much. It was hot.

Now that he stood, he couldn't believe that he hadn't noticed this earlier. The air was hot, burning in his throat when he took a breath.

It tasted dead.

Shaking off these stupid thoughts, he went into the direction he had faced first. There was a lot of fire but that also meant there was light. He could ditch the flames easily but he refused to wander through this strange realm in the dark.

Maybe he was going to find some wood or anything he could use as a torch but he didn't believe in it.

Ray hadn't walked his first hundredth steps when his head started to pound really badly. He reached up to rub his temples again but as he blinked, he saw Michael in front of him, shocked and absolutely terrified. Knowing his sword well enough to understand what was going to happen before it even did.

Mogar crashed into his side and he felt as his skin was forced open with ease and his flesh and muscles were ripped apart. The force reached his chest, breaking his rips like little branches, making a similar noise in the process.

Ray crashed on the floor, the red stones breaking from the impact, parts of it grazing his skin like daggers.

His mouth was wide open but couldn't decide between a scream and the dire need to inhale the stale air. So it did none of it as Ray felt the pain rippling through his whole being.

That was the choice he had made and if he had enough control over his body, he would beg to take it from him, to let him go back to where he had woken up, so that he could curl into that sweet peace.

That wasn't an option anymore.

At least it passed. The first burning pain faded to a steady pounding that consumed his left side. Finally, he managed to take a breath, so desperate for oxygen that it shook his whole body.

Scared out of his mind, he lifted his head, wanting to see the damage he had received from Mogars hit, but there was none.

Neither blood, nor bare flesh. Not even his clothes were ripped.

Still the stabbing pain lingered like a bad dream.

His shaking hand found his face, which was wet from sweat and spit and tears and he covered his eyes. Trying his hardest to calm down.

Would it happen again? Would each step end in this terrible pain? In the shaky vision of his own death?

He bit on his lip as he groaned, his hand searching for the wound that wouldn't be there.

If he remembered correctly, Gavin had brought it up once, that if pain didn't indicate death if wouldn't hurt as much. Because the fear of dying was going to make it worse.

Yeah, that sounded like something Gavin and Ryan would discuss. They had the strangest topics.

Right now he wondered if they were right. He didn't clearly remember the first time Mogar had hit him but he knew for sure that he feared more to carry this pain for the rest of his afterlife, than he feared death.

Carefully, he rolled onto his stomach before getting to his knees. It took him longer to actually gather the courage to stand up.

It was a shaky stand as he waited for another vision followed by pain, but it didn't come. The ache he already had stayed though, searing with steady waves.

The constant strain was hardly bearable.

It would make him weak over time. He had to hurry and move as long as he still could.

Slowly, he continued his way, a hand tightly pressed against his left side, just to make sure the wound wouldn't suddenly appear. That didn't happen but he was still tensed, waiting for a second attack.

He noticed the voices after he had walked for a while but now that he listened, he was sure they had been there before, slowly creeping up into his head. There were cries of pain and anger or both mixed together. There were also laughs and those were the scariest. They sounded insane and stripped of all human reasoning.

They grew louder the farther he would go and more than once Ray just simply stood still, too scared to move on. But when he stood still he could see the other people wandering here. Just in the corner of his eyes, like ghost that weren't quite dead.

He tried not to think about that too much.

Forcing his legs to go on, taking a sharp inhale every time the movement caught his sides.

Finally, he reached the lavafall he had seen before. He approached the cliff carefully, notcing a sea of lava beneath him.

It was gigantic.

The heat let his hair float and his eyes grew dry as he felt his hope slip from his hands. This whole realm was enormous. There was no way for him to find a portal when he didn't even know what it looked like.

The other side of this sea wasn't even visible.

He couldn't come back.

With shaking breaths, he wanted to sit down, rest and collect his thoughts. He was pretty sure he wouldn't get back up anymore.

One of the ghosts appeared in the corner of his eyes, so close and clear that he stumbled away, his legs finally giving up under him.

Again, he crashed onto the floor, the stone beneath him breaking like glass as he screamed at the sharp pain ripping through his body. It made him gag and he turned over to throw up the little bit he still had in his stomach.

He lost his barely held self control.

Sobbing, he gave in to the fear, closing his eyes and covering his ears to block everything out. The voices were still there, howling in his head until he realized it was his own. He screamed louder, crying out for help with the names that he knew.

Other noises filled his mind, cold and collected. Not the ones he had hoped to hear. These ones sounded like demons, trying to get his attention all at once. Making offers and he feared the price they would cost.

_Do you want to be stronger?_

_Do you want to control them all?_

Ray opened his eyes, blinking through the tears to make sure there was no one that talked to him and of course he was alone.

_You want to see them again?_

_You want to get out of here?_

Biting on his tongue, he refused to answer. He tried getting back on his feet but the throbbing pain wouldn't let him, his muscles shaking too much to hold him up.

_Are you scared? Should I make it better?_

He needed to get away, so he crawled. The edge of the stones were sharp and cut into his bare hands and knees. It would start to bleed sooner or later, but he still preferred this over the alternative to listen to all these different voices.

It worked.

The more he concentrated on his pain and to move forward, the more the noises faded. He grew weak over the time but each moment he rested the questions returned and he bit his tongue bloody to not answer them.

_Do you want to be faster?_

_Do you want the pain to pass?_

The little hope he had left somewhere inside him got crushed immediately when he reached a part of this realm where the fire was rare. He had no other choice but to drag himself onward, telling his mind that it would be alright, that it couldn't be that much further.

His words mixed with the others and he couldn't distinguish between them so he stopped thinking at all.

His mind finally slipped after he was engulfed in complete darkness, feeling around for a drop like he saw before, scared to lay crashed on the bottom of it.

Crying, he simply stopped, laying down, his muscles sore and his will exhausted. Bloody fingers found their way to his ears, in hope to shut the voices out, but it didn't work. They came for him like he was their prey, ready to rip him apart.

_You want to see your friends?_

_Should I give you the strength to move on?_

It was a voice that sounded like a caring mother that broke him.

_Do you want me to make your pain stop?_

“Yes!”, he whimpered, blood dripping from his lips as he sold his soul. “Yes, please make it stop. Please let it end. Help me, I beg you.”

It grew quiet as he sobbed and he was glad for it.

The pain didn't stop but he lost the ability to care as he drifted off, giving up as he slipped into darkness.

 

It had been an idea to intimidate the vagabond but if he was honest with himself it hadn't necessarily been a good one.

Gavin had decided to carry his sword around like both Michael and Ryan did, just to have any form of weapon with him if he needed to. Of course his first choice would have been his bow, but by now Ryan didn't know about his archery-skills and had no idea that it had been him, who shot the arrows during Rays attack.

No need to anger this man, he wasn't that stupid.

Too bad the counselor didn't even notice the change at all. Michael did.

Both the king and the vagabond were going over some maps. They did that a lot. Gavin was guessing that they were planning an attack on another country. It wasn't like they told him anything though.

Michael leaned back and stretched: “Do you mind if I take a little break?”

“Not at all, my liege.”, Ryan mumbled, probably happy to be left alone with the work.

Gavin looked up as he heard the exchange, noticing Michaels eyes on him: “What?”

“You should at least know how to use it.”, he said, nodding towards the sword.

“I know how to use a sword, Michael!”

“I saw you and let me tell you; no you don't.”

Pouting, the jester turned away, knowing that this wasn't over.

“Let's train.” The king got on his feet and walked towards the throne to get Mogar.

“What? Now?” But Gavin couldn't deny that it sounded interesting. It got boring watching over those two all day and this was going to be a nice change for once.

So before Michael could answer him, he had already drawn his sword. The king chuckled at him, maybe about his bad stance. To be honest it had been quite some time since he held a sword in his hand.

The light mood faded when Michael stopped drawing his weapon along the way, his face growing pale as he stared at his friend.

“Michael?”, Gavin asked concerned, which made Ryan look up as well. Frowning, he watched the king whose hand shook lightly on the handle of Mogar: “My liege? Is everything alright?”

For a moment he didn't react at all. Then he blinked, slowly licking his lips before letting his sword rest against the throne again: “Maybe I should get a training sword...”

“Ah, yeah.” Gavin shivered slightly, before forcing his smile back up: “Should I get two?”

“I seriously doubt that you will get close enough for that to be necessary.”, Ryan said dryly before returning to his work, missing the face the jester made at him.

Well, it was true in the end. After Michael had gotten a dull iron sword he still managed to disarm him every time with little to no effort.

The counselor had settled back to watch them, trying to hold back his laughter at the futile attempt of the jester to get remotely close to the king.

“You weren't lying, my King.”, he finally said, not able to hold back anymore. “He is bad.”

“Shouldn't you concentrate on your work, Vagabond?”, Gavin snapped at him, gaining a soft hit on his head.

“And you should concentrate on the fight. That's a basic rule.”, sighed Michael. He was getting tired of those two arguing.

“But Michael!” He avoided a second blow by sidestepping, trying to land at least a single hit as he swung at the king. The weapon vanished from his hand before he could do as much as make a step forward.

Pouting, he turned around to collect it again.

“A rapier would suit you more.”, Ryan remarked quietly, setting the jester right off again.

“Nobody asked you about that!”

“You think so?”, Michael interfered, ignoring his friend.

“Maybe. He is agile and his feet move fast. A sword just slows him down, a lighter weapon might be better.”

The king thought about that, blocking a new attack nearly mindlessly.

“Could you guys not act like I am a weak, little child?”, Gavin huffed offended, his cheeks turning red.

“You are in some sense.”, Michael said bluntly, before moving up. “Just concentrate on avoiding my hits for a while.”

It wasn't even a question because the jester hadn't much of a choice when the king started to strike at him, disarming him instantly. At least it was actually working better and he managed to dodge without problems, as long as he didn't concentrate on finding an opening Michael wouldn't give him anyway.

It was just that he got tired of it pretty quickly and so when the king tried to stab him, he grabbed the sword with both hands, jumping off the ground to get into a shaky handstand.

Gasping at the sudden weight, Michael arched to keep upright but the jester had already pushed off again, landing behind him. Crouching with the impact, the next strike went over his head but Michaels boots connected with his upper body, sending him flying.

The king flinched but at least the jester managed to land safely: “Sorry, Gav. That was a reflex.”

“That hurt!”, he declared, rubbing his chest.

“Oh, don't be a baby.”

Sticking out his tongue, Gavin got back to his feet, his face reddening embarrassed by the deep chuckles coming from the vagabond.

Michael couldn't help but grin a little as well, but forced it down to not make his friend mad at him.

“Ryan, would you be so kind and get this sword back to the training ground? And maybe get us something to eat?”

The counselor nodded right away, all three of them fully aware that the king just wanted him to get out of the room for a moment. So he watched him go, before he turned towards Gavin who just put his own weapon away. Noticing the grimace on his face, he asked with concern in his voice: “Did I really hurt you?”

A bit surprised the jester looked up: “Oh, no! It's already passing, don't worry.”

“Then what's with that face of yours?”

“It's nothing.”

“Sure.”, not buying that answer, he stepped closer. “That last move was pretty awesome!”

“Wouldn't have worked in a real battle. I would have cut my hands open and still get kicked anyway.”, Gavin sighed, shaking his head slowly. “I am not really good in this whole fighting thing. Sorry, Michael.”

Suspicious, the king raised his eyebrows: “What are you sorry about? I knew that since years by now.”

“Fine, guess that's true.”

“So what's gotten you so down lately?”

“It's just... you and Ryan have so much in common! All this fighting and your cool swords! And I? I am just here!”, rubbing his neck, he felt stupid for admitting this. It certainly didn't help when Michael started to laugh: “Are you jealous?”

“Am not!”

“Will it help when I tell you I like you more?”

“Oh shut up!”, he hissed, wishing to not have said a damn thing after all. But as he tried to turn around, the king stopped him: “Sometimes your stupidity surprises me – even after all these years.”

“Thanks.”, Gavin remarked sarcastic.

“I respect Ryan, that's true. He is a great fighter and probably the only one of us who actually knows what he is doing here. But I trust you. That's something way better, you know?”

“I don't want him to be here.”

“He will stay. I need him.”

“What if he betrays you?”

“I seriously doubt that he is the type to do that.” Ruffling through Gavins hair, he added with a smirk: “Also you are watching over me all the time.”

“I'm just making sure!”, the jester shouted, but couldn't help but smile as well.

“Sure. Just cut those damn arguments down. You two are driving me nuts!”

 

“Hey Ryan? Can I take a look at your sword?”

“My sword?”

“Yeah. I never saw an enchanted sword up close.”, explained Michael. “You don't have to, it would just be interesting to see.”

“Of course you can see it, my liege.” The Vagabond stood up, drawing his weapon but stopped in his motions when Gavin jumped to his feet, fists clenched: “What now?”

“Let's practice a bit, Michael.”, the jester blabbered fast, obviously trying to lure him.

“Not now, Gav.”, the king replied, too intrigued by the sword to notice how obviously nervous his friend was.

“Please!”, he begged, his eyes shifting to Ryan.

“I said later!”, replied Michael irritated, as he took the sword carefully in his hands. The enchantment glowed in a soft light, getting reflected by the diamonds and lit up the kings face dimly.

Unsettled, Gavin couldn't keep still, trying to find a way to get his friends attention but Michael examined the weapon closely, oblivious to his surroundings. It was Ryans eyes which wouldn't leave the jester as he panicked. He skittered around for a moment, before he turned on his heels, leaving the throne room.

Michael looked up, a bit confused but more annoyed, before he let his finger trail over the blade. The runes scattered and moved under his tips like living things: “So with an enchantment your weapon gets like a special power?”

“Exactly. It can become even sharper or more durable. I heard of swords which sent out fire with each swing.”, Ryan explained.

“What is your enchantment?”

“It knocks my opponents away, so that they are kept at a safe distance.”

“Sounds good.” He practice a few swings with the unfamiliar weapon, before he gave it back: “It's deadly and the weight is low. You have a great sword, Ryan.”

“Thank you, my King. It's nothing against your weapon.” Carefully he put it back into the sheath, watching as Michael stood up to draw Mogar. The light of the torches danced across the wide blade, not bothering to hide the sharpness.

“It's without a doubt my greatest treasure. An enchantment would be sweet though.”, he added with a smile. “How did you get yours?”

“That was a long time ago in another country. I found an old man able to enchant weapons, but he would only do it when you proved him that you were ready for that.”, Ryan told. “People like that are incredibly rare, for the only source of magic is to survive the Nether. And even if you do, there is no guarantee that you are able to enchant something.”

Confused, the king lowered his eyebrows: “I don't understand..?”

“Don't mind that. I only met a single person in this kingdom who knows much about the Nether, it seems like nobody ever explored that realm.”, the vagabond added. “But when you die the Nether tests your will to live. So there is a chance to rise from the dead, we both know that. But when you step through that portal you will not only get a new body, you also get a gift in form of some kind of magic. Some of that enables to enchant weapons and such.”

“Oh, I never heard of that!”

“It's pretty unknown. I once was in a country were children strove to become magicians and when they thought to be ready, they killed themselves to get into the Nether and receive their magic.”

“That sounds pretty fucked up.”, Michael commented with disgust but also with a hint of amazement. “You sure traveled a lot, Ryan!”

“I guess you could say that. It's a big world.”

“I've never been outside the kingdom.”, the king admitted, before turning back towards his counselor. “So where can I find that man?”

“Oh, I fear that will be a problem.”

“Why's that?”

“I killed him afterwards.”, Ryan admitted sheepishly. “Less enchanted weapon to worry about, you know?”

Michael snorted, while he rolled his eyes: “Great.”

The vagabond extended his hand: “Give me that sword of yours.”

“Why?”

“I don't know what my gift is yet.”, Ryan chuckled, amused by the defensive voice of the other man. “It might be enchantment.”

Michael handed him the sword, laughing when Ryans eyes grew big: “It's heavy! How are you able to carry this thing around all day?”

“Well after a few years you don't notice that anymore. You really think you can do it?”

“I don't know.” The vagabonds hands stroked carefully over the blade: “I figured I would just get a feeling of some sorts. Can't do more than try it.”

“Yeah, I guess.” The king sat back down, laying his chin on his hands while watching his counselor. It didn't seem to have much effect on the sword at all but he didn't want to rush something.

Just thinking about the possibility, that his sword could bring upon flames while attacking, got him all excited.

Mogar would be an even better weapon than before!

Humming, he watched the slow movements of the vagabond, letting his thoughts travel to fights and fire.

He stopped himself, feeling his mouth get dry as he came to a realization: “Hey Ryan?”

“Yes, my liege?”

“So the only way to gain magic is through the Nether?”

“Indeed.”

“And do you only get to the Nether if you die?”

“Exactly.”

Michael sat up straight, his gaze searching for Gavin who had not yet come back.

“Took you a while.”, Ryan mumbled and as the king turned towards him, the vagabond stood in front of him, Mogar in his hand.

“I was wondering if you knew.”

Getting to his feet quickly, Michael licked his lips nervously: “How did you know?”

“I saw his flames when he stepped in front of my throne, claiming to be the Prince Regent. After that it was obvious and he didn't bother to hide it. I bet he barely used the fire before, right?”

Thinking back, Michael couldn't remember seeing it until Ryan had shown up. Nodding slowly, he took a few steps back, trying to get some distance between him and his own sword.

“I am sorry to break it to you but he lied. Seeing how talented he is with the fire he must have lied to you for years.”

The eyes of the king shifted towards the blade and he felt fear starting to burn in his guts. How could he have let go of his own sword?

“Ryan...”, he whispered, managing to stop his voice from trembling.

“Don't you worry, Michael.” He raised Mogar with ease: “Long live the king.”

 

Gavin leaned against the throne room door, his breath irregular and his thoughts in a swirl. The guards eyed him carefully and for a moment he considered going back in, but facing Michael now seemed like a really bad idea.

Hurrying away, he passed the guards without losing a word to them, too mad at Ryan. Not that it was the vagabonds fault, it had been Michael who had asked about enchantments but it wasn't like Ryan would hold back with his knowledge. He was going to give the king enough information, so that Michael had no other choice as to understand what was going on.

Cursing under his breath, he started to walk towards their roof, feeling like some fresh air could maybe help to calm him down. His feet stopped moving before he got there, his mind finally recalling the last few times he went there.

Thinking about Rays death still made him feel sick in his stomach and certainly didn't increase his mood. Unsure of where to go next, he walked through the corridors, ending up in the garden.

Even though it was big and absolutely beautiful, he barely went there anymore. Here he had always plucked flowers to let them appear but that skill wasn't of use anymore, so why bother?

Walking up to the rosebushes, he touched the soft petals before dropping on the grass beneath them. Sighing, he watched the clouds above him, noticing that the sky had lost its light blue, turning into a dull gray.

Summer was ending.

“I wonder how Michael will react.”, he mumbled to himself. There had never been a real reason for not telling, it wasn't like he didn't trust his friend – it was just such an odd thing to splutter out.

Also it had been so much easier that way.

Laying his arm over his eyes, he couldn't help but bite his lips, feeling his inside twisting. Michael would be mad.

He would yell and scream and maybe hit him a bit.

Still he was pretty certain that he would be forgiven in the end.

It was just the thought of Ryan that made him so incredibly mad.

Which reminded him that he should probably head back. Hadn't he sworn to not let the vagabond out of his eyes?

He had, but right now he didn't feel like moving. Lately his sleep had been swallow and full of bad dreams and just to relax here for a few moments felt incredible good.

Breathing in, he noticed the heavy odor of the flowers and felt the sadness creep in again.

“Wish you were here.”, he whispered to no one, feeling a bit stupid. Ray couldn't hear him in the Nether, he knew this all too well.

“I also wish I could have helped you more.”, he still continued. It was like lifting a small weight of his chest with each word. “Or that I could have taken that burden from you. I wish I could take the burden from Michael, too. Maybe I should.”

Letting his arm slip away, he opened his eyes, examining the red petals: “I want to force everything back to how it was before, but I can't do that. I know that you can't either but please come back Ray. Me and Michael really miss you. So if I have a single wish, I wish you the strength to make it out of the Nether. If I need to, I will pay for it, so just... just hang in there, lad.”

For a moment he listened to the silence, actually expecting an answer. Of course there was none, so he chuckled to himself, feeling terribly lonely.

How childish of him.

Reaching up, he brushed the petals to the side, carefully touching the thorns hidden beneath them.

He was being stupid. Ray didn't need his wishes – he was strong enough on his own.

“Can't hurt though.”, Gavin whispered, covering his eyes again.

When he finally came back to his feet, he strolled through the hallways, too deep in his own thoughts than to notice the glances he received from the guards or the whispers of the maiden. Thinking about how he should face Michael and what exactly to say to him. Well first of all, he would demand Ryan to leave. He wasn't going to have this conversation in front of the vagabond.

Reaching the door to the throne room, he straightened his back before inhaling deep as he stepped in.

Michael would be mad, yes, but he trusted his friend enough to be sure that he was going to get over it pretty quickly. After all he was a big softy inside.

It was Ryan who sat on the throne.

Stopping in his steps, Gavin stared at him, getting furious: “Stand up, Vagabond! This is not your place!”

“Is that the way you address the King, Jester?”, the man replied smirking and Gavin felt himself get cold.

Looking around, he couldn't find Michael. He found his crown though.

It laid abandoned on the floor, a crack had parted the gold at the front. There was a lot of red on it.

His breath hitched in his throat and it felt like the world was shaking, his legs starting to wobble. Petrified, his eyes traveled back to Ryan, his mouth opening to ask the question he didn't dare to voice.

“You're too late, Jester. Now bow to the King.”

He did no such thing. Trembling, he made a step forward to steady himself and in his overwhelmed brain this suddenly sounded like a damn good idea.

Rage erupted in his head as he screamed, running towards the man who had laid hand on his friend. Ryan stood up but as he drew his sword, the jester jumped already, letting his whole body be swallowed by flames.

He would burn this man down until there was nothing left of him. Just like he had promised.

The king was fast enough though, bringing the weapon up to shield his head and even though Gavin crashed with full force on it, he barely bulged.

Crouching with the impact, the jester balanced on the side of the blade, surprised at how easy it was. This weapon was a lot broader than it should be.

A howl built up in his throat and here and now he was ready to jump at this man even if that blade would cut him in half. As long as he could do as much damage as possible.

With a forceful fling of Mogar, he was shoved away, his fire dying as he spun in the air to land on his feet.

Sliding over the carpet, he stretched his muscles, ready to launch himself right back at the king.

He didn't manage to take a single step as someone took hold of his arms, twisting them to his back before a weight crushed him to the floor.

Breathing in the air he had just lost, he screamed at the top of his lungs, squirming in the grip of the guards: “Fight me, Ryan! Fight me, Vagabond! I'll take your head and the crown you hold so dear! I will burn both if I have to!”

The king didn't move a muscle, just watched him somberly as the jester tried to break free.

The pitiful look in his eyes made it only worse: “Don't let others do your dirty work! I will kill you anyway! I will scatter the ashes of your body! I will follow you down into the Nether to kill you there, too!”

In his vain endeavor, he had managed to push up his upper body so that he could look the other man straight in the eye, a burning hate reign in his own. His threats were cut off abruptly when one of the guards put his arms around his throat, choking him.

Pulling him to his feet, they waited for new orders but still the king had not moved, his eyes showing sympathy.

Seeing that sad look where it shouldn't belong, Gavin wailed. His knee bugged under him, making the guards use both hands to keep him up. Put free from his restrain, he took a deep breath before he cried out: “What did you do to him? What did you do to my boy?”

“Gavin-”, Ryan finally muttered but got interrupted right away.

“Bring him back! Bring him back, Ryan!” His knees finally gave out as he threw his head back, screaming after Michael as loud as his lungs could muster.

Nobody answered and so he just wept beaten, his whole body shaking violently at his sobs.

“Throw him into the dungeon.”, the king ordered and as the guards began to drag him away, Gavin let his body go limp. Rolling his head until he found the king, he kept his eyes on him, still waiting for an answer.

The doors closed after him, leaving him with the question alone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's that! Now we head into the second and final arc of this story; be prepared!  
> Special thanks to Fallen for her nice comment; keep them going guys - I am so happy for every one of those!


	8. King Ryan 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This time the jester had no luck.  
> He woke up screaming at the top of his lungs because Geoff was dead and Jack was gone and Ray was dead and Michael... yeah, Michael was dead as well.  
> He was alone and his mind kept reminding him of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So let's begin the second part of this story with an extra long chapter!  
> Also I added some tags, so be sure to check them out. Don't want anyone to read something they are not comfortable with even if it's just really briefly mentioned!

8\. King Ryan

 

_Here I stand tranquilized in this little white room of mine;_

_There I go, on my own, in this redefined world inside_

 

Gavin barely remembered the way into the dungeon. He had been carried and they had sat him down here in the corner and then they had put shackles around his wrists.

He was left alone.

After a while, he began to wonder if he had passed some people along the way, if they had been shocked and would come and help him. He wondered if he had known the guards.

He knew most of them.

None of that actually mattered.

In the dungeons was a constant darkness and there were constant voices of people he couldn't see. Maybe they weren't even there and just in his head. This place reminded him way too much of his dreams and he didn't like that at all.

Slowly waking up from his trance, he moved for the first time, checking on the shackles binding him. They were made of metal and connected to a heavy chain, fixed somewhere to his right. He didn't bother to turn around and investigate on that.

Instead he curled up, letting his head rest on his arm and fell asleep in mere seconds. It was kinda funny in some way.

Had been a really, really long time since he slept so deep and without any nightmares, waking up refreshed. Judging by the light when he opened his eyes again, he had been gone for a while.

It was nearly pitch black now and a tray of food had been put within his reach. Prisoners only got breakfast as far as he knew; did he sleep through a whole day?

Maybe. Maybe not. No way to be sure of it.

His legs were stiff and hurt when he forced himself to stand, walking towards the tray. If Ryan was feeding him he wanted to keep him alive, right?

Kicking the bowl, he let the soup spill over the floor no matter how thirsty and hungry he was.

He wouldn't play after the rules of that man.

Turning around, he sat back down in his corner, his eyes fixed at some point in the darkness. To be honest the thought of Ryan keeping him alive scared him.

He was of no use for the king, besides to amuse him with his suffering.

For a moment, he considered putting that chain around his neck and pull as hard as his strength would allow him, hopefully crushing his throat in the attempt.

Shivering over his own thoughts, he curled up again, drifting off.

This time the jester had no luck.

He woke up screaming at the top of his lungs because Geoff was dead and Jack was gone and Ray was dead and Michael... yeah, Michael was dead as well.

He was alone and his mind kept reminding him of that, but couldn't tell him how long he was already screaming. It must have been some time; he could clearly hear how hoarse his voice was and now there were other people yelling at him, telling him to shut up.

But there were no other people as he looked around, there was only darkness and so it had to be bodiless ghosts, haunting him down.

_Are you afraid of the dark?_

Slowly his paralyze faded and Gavin wanted to cover his ears, he wanted to desperately stop listening to the voices in his head but his hands were restricted and he couldn't reach. So he settled with covering his mouth, hoping to stifle his own so that they wouldn't find him but they were already here, weren't they?

It was time to wake up but he didn't. This nightmare wouldn't let him go.

Finally his scream broke into a sob, shaking his whole body. The chains rattled at that and the cold metal pressed against his skin and that made it worse, because usually it was hot in his dreams and there were no other noises besides those terrible whispers.

It had become familiar in some twisted way but this was new and scary and he wanted to wake up really badly. He wanted to wake up and get his body to move and run through the hallways in search for a guard who would pick him up and carry him to Geoff, where he would listen to stupid stories.

That wasn't possible anymore.

So he screamed after Michael because Michael would come no matter what, because he was rough and he was loud and rude but his laugh was infectious and his eyes warm. And he had not once failed to run to his rescue if he had called for him.

This time Michael didn’t show up.

Gavins breath hitched in his throat as he hunched over, because now he could hear Michael scream his name, asking him for help and Ray too and all those voices knew his name and he really wanted them to stop and he really wanted to wake up but he just wouldn't.

Forcing his thumb between his clenched teeth, he bit down violently until he tasted blood and smelled copper. It made him go sick and he gagged dry but was still engulfed in darkness.

Briefly he remembered his fire but it slipped his abused mind just as fast, as he rocked himself with slow, rhythmical motions.

He figured, he was losing his mind.

Somehow that made things easier, as his heart slowed down.

'Ah, that's what's happening.', he thought, before he slipped into unconsciousness.

 

The next hours, days, weeks were strange because time was a strange thing to hold on to. Sometimes he woke up before falling asleep right back, as if the strain to keep his eyes open were too much for him. But after a few times he recognized his surroundings; not the cold dungeons anymore but white sheets and sunlight falling through a window. He figured he had grown sick because this was the room he had visited Ray when he had been hurt by the intruder and now Ray was dead so he would die, too.

Before he could think more about his theory, he was gone again.

Sometimes voices were mixing in his sleep, daring him to wake up but he hated those whispers and they only triggered his nightmares. For the longest time, he was slipping into those dreams, then out into nothingness and right back again.

One time they were all together on the roof but he was ripped away, sinking until there was nothing left.

The next time he regained consciousness, he felt his swollen throat and his head hurt terribly, making him clench his teeth. There was an unbearable fire burning in his bones, wanting to break his skin. This fever was devouring his strength quickly and made his breath come out in fast and heavy huffs.

A hand was in his hair, stroking it lightly before it rested on his forehead for a moment, checking on his temperature.

Geoff was sitting next to him, his face tired and his hair a mess because he had slept here, refusing to go to bed. And he wouldn't leave until Gavin felt better because he never had. His dry lips broke into a shaky smile.

“Gavin?”, the hand began to move again, stroking hair out of his face.

His lids fluttered open and he couldn't wait for the first stupid story he would hear. Or the reason why he had taken so long to come back.

“You're finally awake.”, Ryan sighed relieved. “People were getting worried. You have to drink something.” He was sitting next to his bed, looking a bit tired as he retrieved his hand to reach for the goblet standing on a nearby table.

When he turned away, Gavins eyes overflowed, feeling the bottomless despair reaching for him again. Opening his mouth, he tried to say something, anything. A threat or a cry for help. Maybe ask Ryan to kill him or to open a window because his inside was burning up.

A soft whimper escaped instead.

Ryan looked back at him, lowering his gaze immediately. His hand took hold behind Gavins head, raising it until he could drink.

It felt good. The water running down his sore throat and sometimes down his chin. It felt cold against his flushed skin, just like the hand that moved back to his forehead after he was done drinking and he leaned into it, desperate for anything that could fight the fire in his bones.

Ryan watched him carefully but he just closed his eyes, sighing pleased as he started to stroke through his hair again. Any form of touch meant that this was real and gave him something to hold on to, so that he would not slip back again.

It worked for a while and he nearly dared to hope that when he opened his eyes again, it was going to be someone else next to him.

That now he was finally awake from this nightmare.

He wasn't.

When he blinked, Ryan was still there now obviously tired in the twilight.

He had still not escaped.

So Gavin let go again, rolling his eyes up and losing consciousness.

 

The next time he woke up, he was alone in the room. Noticing that his fever had gone down, he still felt weak as he lay there motionless. He gave his head a few more minutes to sort out his confusion until he started to think. Starting to plan his next movements.

To be honest, there wasn't much he could do and the ideas that came to his mind were scary and dangerous.

He missed the others. He missed them badly.

Sometimes the grief hurt like a wound that just didn't heal, getting ripped open whenever he wasn't careful. He was often not careful.

The doctor came in, bringing him back to what either was or wasn't reality. He offered him food and water but he refused both, not interacting at all.

That went on for some time but he couldn't quite tell how long. Time had become unimportant and weird when you didn't know which of all of this was a dream and which was reality.

One day the door was opened forcefully and lazily the jester turned his head, watching as the king stomped towards him, shoving a tray with food on the table next to his bed: “Eat!”

Ignoring the command, he closed his eyes, ready to drift into the next dream or the next reality. He didn't like this one here.

A hand grabbed his hair, pulling at it violently. Crying out, Gavin sat up but as he tried to get free his arms just fell back. A bit disturbed, he noticed how his skin stretched about his bones. The tugging ended as Ryan handed him a bowl, making sure he had a shaky hold on it.

“Eat.”, he repeated.

It was some sort of stew with a heavy scent that made Gavin sick. Tilting the bowl, he spilled it's content over his legs, not caring about the temperature. Ryan grabbed it, making sure most of it stayed in before he slapped him in the face. The jester winced, nearly falling back down, if the king hadn't grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at his face: “You will eat this or I will make you!”

“Why?” Even Gavin was surprised hearing his own voice, he figured he had lost it some time ago. But it was still there, weak and raspy and barely audible.

“Because Michael asked me to keep an eye on you.”, Ryan said slowly. “That was his last order as a King and I will be damned to not follow it. So eat!”

“Well aren't you a good servant, Vagabond.”, the jester laughed low, amused and sad by the irony.

“Gavin, please eat.”

So he did. The first spoons made him gag and he was sure he would throw it all up again anyway but it settled warm in his stomach. Ryan watched him carefully, making sure that he ate up.

“Why do you give yourself up?”, he finally asked.

Smiling, Gavin looked up to him: “Maybe if I die here I will wake up.”

“If you die here you will wake up in the Nether.”, the king said bluntly. “This is reality, Gavin.”

“Of course you would say that.” There was amusement in his voice but also a sharp tone of despair.

Ryan thought about that for a moment, before he said: “Fine, let's just say I was right and all of this is real. You will starve and you will go to the Nether and you won't have the energy to move around at all. If you don't eat you will die for real.”

The jester shrugged as he finally finished the bowl. He offered it to the other man but he made no attempts to take it.

“You don't remember your time in the Nether, do you? Otherwise your reaction would be different.”

Again Gavin raised his shoulders. He usually avoided that topic.

“How did you die?”

“That's none of your business.”

The king nodded slowly: “Fair enough.” He took the bowl from the hands of the jesters, ready to leave.

“Ryan?”, Gavin asked carefully, maybe a bit scared. “Was Michael in pain?”

For a moment, he was sure that Ryan would be cruel enough not to answer, but then the man sighed quietly: “No. I made sure that it went by fast.”

“Can I... can I see him?”

“I don't think that would be a good idea, Gavin. It's been too long.”

“Ah.”, the jester made, feeling incredible tired all of a sudden. He slipped back under his cover, turning so that he was facing the window. The king was still with him, he could feel his eyes on his back and he waited if he would say something. He really seemed to want to. In the end he simply left.

 

The next few days Gavin ate, slowly getting his strength back. He would need that for the plan he had thought of. Ryan came to see him once more but he managed to ignore the man completely, exhaling relieved when he was alone again.

The night he decided to run away was clear. It was nearly a full moon so he wouldn't need any source of light.

Quietly, he sneaked out of the room he had occupied and down the hallways. It was late but there were a lot more guards out than he had imagined, so he needed more time to get to his room than he had planned.

When he finally closed the door behind him, it was as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Even now this was a familiar place and for a few minutes he just stood there and took it all in. There was a bit of dust covering his table and nightstand and suddenly he realized he had no clue what day or week it was. Nobody had told him how long he had been sick.

Which just meant he needed to hurry even more.

Slipping out of the thin shirt and pants he had been wearing, he opened his wardrobe, pushing the colorful Jester-uniforms away and digging through the more formal attire he had worn mostly in the past months. Nearly all the way in the back, he found the thicker clothing he was looking for.

Changing into a woolen, green tunic and sturdy pants with similar coloring, he made sure it would keep him warm. He still took a cloak with him for the night hours, hoping it would be enough.

Searching for some simple, black boots, he stopped in his movements as he stumbled upon golden ones instead.

Those stupid, golden boots he gave him.

Gavin could feel his heart crumble as he suddenly realized that Michael was dead and he didn't even know what happened exactly or what his last words were or what had been going on in his mind.

But most of all, he realized, that he had not been there. That he had left Michaels side, just like he had done with Ray at the end.

What a horrible person he was.

Hugging the boots close to his body, he walked towards his bed, pulling the red cloak from under his pillows. Somehow he would make it up to them. By now, he wasn't sure how but he would think of something.

So he wore the boots and the cloak, because he needed something to hold onto. Anything to help him go on.

It was when he wrapped the scarf around his neck that he realized, the only thing missing was something from Jack.

He would ask for it the moment he had found that man.

Determined, he nodded to himself as he grabbed his bow and the nearly full quiver and after thinking for a moment even added the sword. It wouldn't hurt carrying it, even if he was no good with that weapon.

Taking another look around, he made sure that he hadn't forgotten anything before he threw the baggy mantel over himself before heading out. He would buy food and such in a nearby town; for now he needed to move as fast as possible.

At least the guards weren't a problem as he used one of the secret passages Geoff had shown him so long ago. This one led him right to the barns in case he needed to flew from intruders.

Geoff had made sure he knew the most important ones even thought he had assured him, that nobody would get this close to him.

Well, hadn't he been wrong.

Hurrying through the small passage, he reached the barns in no time, listening to any noise that would indicate a human being at the other side of the well hid door. But it was in the middle of the night and most people were in bed.

Stepping out, he took a second check, before he walked through the hay covered hallway, breathing in the heavy scent of animals.

Picking a saddle and a lead on his way, he made his way towards the horses.

“Hey Grisham.”, Gavin whispered, as he reached a spotted, gray horse. “Has been a while, hasn't it? Sorry, buddy. Had a lot of things to do.”

Taking a few minutes to pet the soft fur, he started to prepare the horse. It took him way longer than he had imagined as he had only watched it be done by now and he needed to work quietly.

At the end, he thought it looked right, he guided Grisham out, getting up when he reached the courtyard.

The heavy gates protecting the castle from danger were closed as every night and while he rode closer the three guards at duty stepped up, a lance pointing at him immediately.

“Who are you and what are you doing at this later hour in the castle?”

Well, with his black mantel he really looked suspicious, so Gavin reached up and pulled his hood down: “It's me. King Geoffreys son, so listen to my words.”

“Gavin?” The guards with the lance gave the man next to him a uncertain glance but didn't lower his weapon as the horse stopped right before them. “Geoffrey is dead and he never had a son.” But the guard in the middle, apparently the man in charge, chuckled: “Damn, you are either pretty brave or more stupid than I had imagined. These words alone give me the right to kill you.”

“You can try.”, Gavin replied, sounding a bit more certain than he felt about that. His weapons were covered and would take too much time to draw. “Or you just let me leave.”

“Leave? Where do you want to go? Are you going to save yourself from this deathtrap called castle? That's what rats do.”

“I know where Jack is and I will get him back.”

The guard fell silent, watching him intently: “Jack Patillo? The old Counselor?”

“The one and only.”

“What would you two do against the Mad King? He came back from the dead; he won't fear you!”

“If he can come back so can Geoff. Now let me pass.”

All three of them seemed unsure what to do, but in the end the one in the middle laughed loud: “Damn, I'd like to see that! Let the Fool go! Open the gates for him! Let's figure out if he speaks the truth!”

“Thank you.”, Gavin muttered, sighing with relieve but it seemed to go unheard. He knew the danger he was putting those men in. Ryan wouldn't be happy with him gone and he was smart enough to figure out that he had fled through this gate here. No way to know what punishment he was going to think of.

The thoughts hunted him, while he rode through the city, nearly making him go back. Instead he grasped the brooch that kept the red cloak together, forcing himself to look ahead.

He knew the way. Well, at least he read about the way and he was pretty sure he had it memorized. Technically he had been there already but that was years ago.

Pilgrims still traveled towards the portal even if it was in the middle of nowhere to wait for their loved ones.

Jack would be there. Maybe together with Geoff. Having a good reason why they hadn't returned by now.

Gavin would be happy for at least one familiar face right now.

It wasn't until he reached the plain land outside the city, when he felt his worries falling from him. For a moment he considered looking back but there was nothing in this castle that would be worth it.

It was strange, seeing as he was now probably more in danger than he had been in the castle. Terrible creatures luring in the darkness, ready to attack everyone who was stupid or desperate enough to wander those lands at night.

Getting rid of his mantle to have easier access to his bow, he still couldn't bring himself to care. For the first time in a very, very long time he felt free.

Grisham moving beneath him, making them travel at a rapid speed, while the coldness damped his skin and the wind making the end of his scarf fly. It all felt surreal after the long months trapped inside the castle.

It reminded him of the times when he had juggled balls and not flames and Geoffs laugh filled the hallways, accompanied by Rays quieter chuckles.

Now they were both dead. Even Michael was dead.

His heart sunk at the thought of Jacks reaction when he would have to tell him. How quickly everything had gone out of hand!

Pulling the scarf over his face to keep the cold out, he let the thought fall. Only concentrating on his surrounding upon reaching the trees and diving right into the forest.

In the corner of his vision, he saw unnatural violet eyes but he was passed them, before he could make out the creature.

A skeleton was to his left, bones white in the moonlight, an old bow between its fingers and with a shiver Gavin remembered tales, saying that people who got lost in the woods turned into those creatures.

He was pretty sure that was one of Geoffs stories to make him understand not to go alone in the forest. Right now it worked better than back then as he wanted nothing more than to see a skeleton up close.

But the arrow shot at him, vanished somewhere behind him in the dark and as long as he could make out the way in front of him and keep this speed, he should be fine. Ignoring that he already felt tired and his lids grew heavy. Laying down sick and hallucinating did that to you.

It was a faint hissing that reminded him to keep his guard up as Grisham wanted to leave the path upon hearing that noise, nearly throwing him off.

The night seemed to go on forever but as he finally got out between the trees there was a trace of sunlight in the east. Being on plain lands again, he let Grisham move slower, already feeling sorry for his poor horse.

Now he could see enemies way beforehand and most of them would vanish with the dawn of the day.

In the early hours he reached a small village, buying supplies before he found a shabby tavern, ready to give him a room. Tending Grisham, he didn’t even care about how dirty the room was or that he probably should eat something first, Gavin just collapsed on the flat mattress.

When he woke up it was the middle of night and he was starving. While he ate and drank something, he realized how stupid it had been of him to just stay here. This village was close and Ryan could have already figured out where he was heading and sent some people out to get him back. Or just kill him.

By now they didn't have any luck but he had to keep moving if he didn't want to be caught.

So as the new day dawned, he was of to his next stop.

It took him two more days until he reached what was known as the Echolon-Forest. Those woods were far from everything and he had stayed the night before in an abandoned house, more awake than asleep.

Here the bark of the trees seemed black and the leaves were blocking out most of the sun but there were barely any monsters to be found.

In here rested the portal, bringing the fallen people back from the death, with a new body but a broken mind. At least that's what they said.

All these years ago he had been found at this place.

Constantly licking his lips, Gavin looked around. Right now, he wasn't sure where exactly he should go and Grisham refused to move faster. His horse acted as if it would rather go back.

And even though he was on edge about his surroundings, he couldn't deny that he was eager to go on. If it meant to see Jack again this damn trees weren't going to stop him.

Jack would be there and he would know what to do.

He always did after all.

It took him some time until he saw a clearance to his left, changing his course a bit. It was kinda strange that he had found it right away, but now he couldn't deny the pull he felt, guiding him.

Grisham stopped, refusing to move a single step anymore, so he jumped to the floor, tying the horse to a nearby tree.

Nervously patting the mane, he took deep breaths in hope to calm down his pounding heart. His mind was in a turmoil, his thoughts twirling into a mess and he couldn't be sure what he was thinking. A side of him was scared, begging him to head back but the most part of him wanted to run towards the clearance, dashing through the trees until he was going to see the portal.

It strangely felt like coming home.

Grisham nickered and Gavin realized he had clutched too tightly, the horse stepping away from him.

Sighing, he moved forward, reaching the clearance within minutes.

What he saw shocked him.

There were people. A few dozen people were sitting around, some in groups, most alone. He saw a woman cooking over a fire and even a few kids sitting by themselves, playing with sticks or just staring blankly ahead.

They barely made any noise.

It was as if they were ghosts.

With cautioned steps, he went on, discovering something similar to a little camp with makeshift tents scattered on the grass. It didn't matter because beyond that lay the portal.

Without control, his feet moved faster, barely dodging the people around him as he felt the incredible force. It was like a hook in his brain, pulling him towards it.

The portal was a frame out of smooth, black stone and he knew it was obsidian, a material so hard that it was said to be impossible to destroy. But that wasn't what caught his attention.

Between the stones was a vortex in the deepest violet Gavin had ever seen. The color felt like it should hurt his eyes if it would be solid, but he could see the rest of the forest through it, even if it was slightly twisted.

Without realizing it, his arm had moved on its own and he reached out, his fingers desperate to touch the sweet nothingness.

Scared, he flinched away, only stopping a few steps away as he came back to his senses, stumbling backwards. He could still hear the calling, so soft and tempting in his mind, like a mothers lullaby.

Jack.

He recalled that name, he chanted it over and over until it was the only thing left in his brain, forcing the other voice out.

It worked in some way.

As he came back to himself, he also sat on the grass, his breath rigid and his body shaking. He felt exhausted without really knowing why.

Rubbing his face, he got back up, making sure not to face the portal as he looked over the people behind him.

A handful watched him barely interested but most seemed to not have noticed anything.

Jack wasn't among them.

His eyes scanned every face but there wasn't a single familiar one.

“No!”, he whispered, feeling his eyes stinging. That couldn't be! It was impossible!

Jack had to be here! Jack said, he would get Geoff and he would not back down until then! And even if, for whatever reason, he decided to leave this place, he would have headed to the castle!

That was his home, there was no way he would not come back to help them!

So where was he?

Again his breathing had speed up, his hand clutching his chest, his heart beating violently under it.

That had been his last straw. The last person he could turn to and he was gone.

Jack wasn't here.

What should he do now?

Sinking back down, he hid his face in his hands, close to just give into messy sobs that no one would even care about.

“Here.”

The voice startled him and as he looked up, he could make out the woman he had noticed before as she had been cooking. Now she handed him a bowl.

“Eat up, you look pretty exhausted.” She smiled at him before turning around, going back to the fire.

He ate the thin soup, already used to force it down to gather some strength. But that had been to get to this place and now he was here and he was lost. Still it was enough to calm him down and curl up in the soft grass.

The woman had been right, he was exhausted but all the sleep didn't seem to help. Again he tried, drifting away nearly immediately, feeling groggy and disorientated when he woke up.

It couldn't have been long because the sun was still above him and the bowl still laid in his hand. The woman sat next to him and he took the time to watch her.

She was young, maybe even younger than himself and her hair fell down to her shoulders. It was of a rich red color that seemed unnatural, a high contrast to her armor, which looked light and was pure black.

She stirred, turning her head towards him: “Oh, you’re awake. What’s your name?”

“Gavin.”, he managed to say, before slowly sitting up.

“Hey Gavin. I'm Lindsay, nice to meet you.”

Taking the hand she offered, he shook it a bit confused. Looking around, he made sure he was still at the right place.

“Who are you waiting for?”

“Excuse me?”

“Who died?”, she asked, a smile on her lips. It was a honest smile and he had a feeling, he hadn't seen one of those in a long, long time. “That's usually the reason people come here.”

“A lot of people died.”, he replied slowly, before he remembered her first question. “But I am searching for Jack.”

“Jack?”, she echoed surprised.

“Yeah. Huge beard a-” Gavin stopped himself as he felt the melancholy taking hold on him. Of course the first thing to say was the beard. “He has a really great beard, you know? And he is tall! Carries a big battleaxe an-”

“I know Jack.”, the woman interrupted him with a chuckle. “How could I forget that beard?”

The jester stared at her for the longest time, his mouth slightly open before he reached out, taking hold of her upper arms. A spark of hope in his eyes. “Really? Where is he?”

“He left.”

“Why? When?”

“I would say a few months ago. At least two.”

“No! No that can't be! He wouldn't leave, not without...” His words ran out as he noticed that he had been shaking her. Loosening his grip, he asked: “With whom did he leave?”

“I fear he was alone, Gavin. He stayed here for a long time before that.”

“That can't be! This is all wrong!” Burying his face in his hands, he tried to make sense of it. If Lindsay was right, where would Jack go?

He didn't get back to the castle but why?

Two or three months ago he had left, according to Lindsay. That was past Ryan, must have been while Ray reigned, right?

Once again, he noticed that he wasn't sure what date it was because of his sickness. But it must have happened as Ray or Michael had been king.

What reason would Jack have to not come back?

Maybe...

“Was it when Ryan came back? Did Jack go because of that?”

She watched him carefully. Her eyes were green like his but they were calm and collected. His own probably haunted and dark, making him look like a lunatic.

Maybe he was one.

“No. It was before that.”, she slowly said. “You're pretty well informed, you are also from the castle, right? What the hell is going on in the city? I don't hear much out here but what I hear is just awful.”

“It's just...”, Gavin started but stopped, trying to think of the right words to explain. In the end he shook his head frantic: “Everything just went wrong so damn fast! I never wanted this to happen! All of that...” He shrugged helpless, looking at her for guidance: “They died. I tried to help but I couldn't... I think I only made it worse. I wanted to make them stop, but they didn't and it happened so fast! And-” His voice hitched and broke as he covered his mouth, surprised at the sting in his eyes. Lowering his voice as if it was a secret, he whispered: “I wasn't with Geoff when he died. I was too late. I'm not sure about Ray. I think I left him, too. And Michael... I promised myself to look after him and still I went out. Just for a short time! I never wanted... when I came back it was already too late and now they are all dead! They are all dead and I am left alone here!”

Reaching out, she took his hands, simply holding them as he tried to catch his breath. Her thumbs gently caressing his skin, the bones still clearly visible under it.

“I heard about you from Jack, you know.”, she smiled. “It took some time but after a while I got him to talk. He's pretty quiet but I guess you know that. And he trusted you and your friends. Saying, that for now, he could wait here and that even if it would be harsh you three would somehow manage.”

“I ruined it.”, Gavin sobbed. “I ruined it all and they are all dead!”

“What I am trying to say is, that I'm sure he had a reason to go wherever he went. Trust him a bit, alright?”

Again he shook his head, biting hard on his lower lip to compose himself. Still he wouldn't pull away his hands from hers.

“Gavin, do you know why I am here?”, she asked carefully but didn't wait for an answer.

“There are many people like you, looking for this place in search of the dead ones. They come here broken and lost but their dire hopes just pushes them on. Hope and love are strong emotions, you probably noticed that, Gavin. They die last and keep us going far beyond what our body and mind should take. So King Geoffrey sent out a few knights to watch over this place.” Reaching into her pockets, she pulled out a small plate with the Ramsey-Emblem on it. It was strange to see something familiar here, it had been really long. Gavin couldn't help but smile a little at that.

“I am trying to convince the people here to leave. To give up that hope.”, Lindsay continued and with a sigh the jester understood.

“You told Jack to go.”

“Yes. The hope to see the King again was going to destroy him.”

“But Ryan-”

“Ryan made it back and that made everything worse.” She pointed towards the other people sitting around the fire in silence: “Look at them. They will stay here until they die if I can't get them to leave. Some of them are here longer than I am, some even brought their kids who will just suffer the same fate as them.”

“Fine, but Geoff is strong enough to-”

“That's what Jack said, too.”, she interrupted him immediately. “That's what they all say, Gavin.”

“He's certainly stronger than Ryan, so if he ma-”

“Wasn't Ryan the one who killed him though?”

Gavins air emptied in a angry huff as he searched for words, but once again she was faster. He started to get the feeling she had those conversations a lot. “Ryan was the first man to get out of the Nether in years. Even in a decade. I don't know what goes on in there but whatever it is, it's too much of a challenge for most people.”

Giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, she stood up: “Why don't you rest some more and think about it? Maybe you can get an idea as to where Jack went?”

She left him alone with his thoughts that twirled around her words. A part of him knew she was right but a way bigger part refused to believe it. Also because yes, Ryan had been the first in a decade but the one before him had been himself.

And no one could convince him that neither Geoff, Ray or Michael couldn't make it out alive, if he could.

Watching the portal, he felt once again the pull towards it.

To be honest, he didn't remember the time in the Nether at all. If Geoff hadn't told him or if the flames wouldn't be there, he never had imagined it. But those were the evidence he had and those were pretty solid ones.

Also the nightmares. No need to be a genius to figure where they came from. The Nether had scared him all his life, or at least, as long as he could remember.

Why would he want to go back?

Wrapping his arms around himself, he studied the ridiculous golden boots he was wearing. God, they really looked hideous.

Along with the green scarf and the red coat, he really looked like a jester. But knowing that he was wearing the things of way braver people than he would ever be, made him rather a fool.

He had always hated to be called that.

Before he was even sure what he was doing, he was on his feet, knowing that he would hesitate if he thought about it more.

“That won't work, Gavin.”, said Lindsay somewhere behind him as he marched towards the portal, drawing his bow. “You can't enter from this si-” Her words got cut off as he stepped through the purple vortex, leaving the grass behind and stepping on deep red stone.

The contrast from the bright sun to this land of shadows was blinding him and he stood still for a moment, his eyes closed.

Besides the burning of fire there were no noises and he was glad for that. Somehow he expected the voices to swarm him like in his dreams but it didn't happen. Taking a deep breath of the stale air, he forced his lids open, finally taking in his surroundings.

An empty realm full of fire and lava and cliffs, luring people to a painful death if they weren't careful.

To Gavins own surprise, he really wasn't scared. The heat and fire didn’t affect him and more than anything, he had feared the voices, which weren’t there.

He was alone in his head and alone in here as it seemed.

“Geoff?”, he called out quietly, nervous to interrupt the silence. Licking his lips, he tried again: “Geoff? Can you hear me?”

No answer.

“Michael? Ray? Anyone?”

No one.

Nervous, he moved on, watching the ground carefully. A hidden memory warning him of the danger a wrong step could contain.

It made him wonder what had happened back then but his subconscious still buried any trace of it. In some way he was glad for that.

Looking around the area, he hoped for any trace of a person but there was none. It was as if he was the only soul inside of here.

Did they disappear after a certain amount of time? Was he already too late?

No, that couldn't be. At least he hoped that.

Again he called out without a reply. The tension made his body shake, nervous by the unknown that was all around him.

He told himself to not got too far, to always keep the portal in his line of sight. Getting lost here would be fatal but there was nothing in the area for him to see.

Standing still for a moment, he looked over his shoulder. The portal was still visible and he could go a bit further but something told him that it was wrong. This whole place was wrong and that he should see ghosts and hear their cries and listen to the whispering of the demons.

Why wasn't it happening?

For once probably because he wasn't dead and it might also matter that he had been here before. Didn't he himself tell that Ryan? That now they could walk free in these lands?

But it felt like he wasn't quite in the right place.

Like there was some sort of cover to block his sight.

Something wrapped itself around his ankles and he flinched hard at that. The jester tried to get away but his foot was forcefully pulled back down, which was incredible by the look of the hand holding on to it.

It left red marks on the golden boots and some of the skin revealed flesh and some of the flesh revealed hints of bones underneath it and seeing that, Gavin screamed, the next pull making him sit down hard.

Wincing, he wanted to kick with his free foot but stopped in his movements as he saw the image of the hand flicker as if there was a veil between them, not nearly blocking his view. And even thought he could barely make out anything to indicate whoever it belonged to, it seemed familiar.

For a brief moment, he considered that this might be a trick to lure him into a trap but then he launched ahead, grabbing the wrist before it vanished completely.

It seemed to break the spell because the whole body became visible, before it flickered again and finally grew solid, the bloody fingers letting go and interlocking with his own.

“Ray.” Gavin whispered disbelieving. And then again ecstatic: “Ray!”

The knight was watching him, too, his eyes wide in shock and his mouth a bit open and with blood on his lips. His skin was tightly stretched over his bones, as he seemed too pale to even be conscious.

But he was.

Gavin let out a high pitched laugh that ended in a sob as he kneeled beside his friend, completely at the loss of words by the whirlwind of emotion in his head. Still shocked over the sudden events, worried for his friend and the dangerous surroundings and also a bit fear that this was a trap, that someone would rip him away again.

But then Rays hands found his upper arms with all the strength of desperation he had left and teared up, but not daring to blink even once as he tugged slowly.

And there was the happiness, which was brighter and stronger than all those other emotions because Gavin had a second chance and this was real and Ray was here with him and this time as he bowed down to rest his head against his, he could be sure that no one would drag him away again.

He wouldn't let them.

The breath of the knight was shallow and quick against his ear, ripping into a quiet sob as Gavin wrapped his arms around his shoulders, feeling Rays hands on his back. Clawing so desperately at his skin that it hurt, pushing the quiver to the side, making some arrows fall to the ground, just so he could get a better hold.

It was like he wanted to make sure that the jester wouldn't just vanish into thin air and leave him again and the moment he realized that wouldn't happen, Ray broke down.

Carefully Gavin moved him into a sitting position, scared to hurt him in any way and let him cry into his chest. Holding him close, he buried his face in the messy dark hair, whispering the same sweet nothingness as before.

That it was going to be alright. That he should calm down. That he was here. And that he wouldn't leave him alone.

Only that this time it was the truth.

Eventually the sobs subsided into little, exhausted whimpers as Gavin rubbed comforting circles into his back, while he looked around, hoping to maybe make out someone else.

He couldn't see anyone, but he was pretty sure they had to get in contact with him somehow for that to happen. But he knew, he couldn't stay any longer for Rays sake.

“Hey, lad.”, he mumbled gently. “Let's get you out, alright? It's not far.”

The knight nodded frantic, his eyes closed and his hands still messy claws on his back. Gavin tried to get a good hold on his friend, knowing he wouldn't be able to walk alone but his embrace was too tight.

“Let go, Ray. Just for a moment.”, he hummed low, not wanting to sound like he was scolding the knight. It took a while until he actually talked him into retrieving his hands and when he did, Gavin slipped one arm under his legs and one at his back. Immediately the hands were back, now around his neck as Ray pressed his face into his shoulder.

“Hold on. I'll get you out, Ray. It will be alright.”, he repeated when he stood up, carrying his friend carefully.

It was surprising and terrifying at the same time how light Ray was and the jester actually looked down to check if he was holding him. But there he was, scared out of his mind, his bruised lips into a tight line, the eyes shut closed.

He wondered what Ray saw and heard that he didn't.

Cradling him against his chest, he turned around and walked with far steps towards the portal, all this time talking to hopefully block out the voices in Rays head. And now that he was this close to the knight, he felt also closer to the real Nether, like a demon was just around the corner and if he looked hard enough, he could see him.

Gulping, he hurried up, waiting for a creature to attack him before he reached the portal.

It didn't happen.

Gavin basically jumped into the purple vortex, holding on as tight as he could to Ray.

His feet hit the grass and he fell to the knees at the sudden weight of a healthy body in his arms. The noise of a living world came rushing back to him, people talking all around him, trying to touch him.

It was a scary contrast and he flinched away, feeling the hands of the knight vanishing as he covered his ears.

“Bring him back!”, a woman screamed at him. “Please, my son-”

“No, my father was such a noble man! You have to save hi-”

“Both of my kids! They were too young! I beg you-”

“I'm rich, I'll pay you whatever sum you want, if you ju-”

The apathetic people from before had him cornered, towering above him, talking all at once and Gavin tried to grasp the situation, to explain and reason with them, but they wouldn't listen, pulling at his scarf and his hair.

It was when someone got a hold on Ray, tugging harshly when the jester started to scream: “No! Don't touch him! Don't take Ray away!”

They didn't listen so he burned them.

The flames weren't that high but he heard some of the people scream in pain as the fire painted a circle around them, pushing the strangers back.

When they retreated, he looked down, making sure that his friend was alright. And he was. His fingers were mend and all the blood had vanished, flesh under his skin made him look healthy and young again.

Ray caught his eyes with his own, so round and wide that Gavin could nearly see his own reflection in it.

“It's over.”, the jester laughed freely. “You are out, you are alive. It's over!”

Licking his lips, Ray looked around, before he turned his gaze towards him.

“A-are you sure?”, he asked slowly as if he needed to test if he could still talk. Hearing the familiar voice again, so clear and strong made Gavin tear up and he felt stupid for it but couldn't help to smile as the same happened to Ray.

“Yes.”, he sobbed, hugging him close, too scared to let go just now. “I promise. You are save. It's alright now.”

 

 

Fanart by the amazing [Alex!](http://haywoodyoucuddleme.tumblr.com/post/154483828334/gavin-basically-jumped-into-the-purple-vortex)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go!  
> I hope I can update next week at the same time as usual but the next chapter just grows and grows; maybe King Ryan will get three chapters?  
> We will see!  
> Also the song this time is Eyes Of Tomorrow by Broken Iris!


	9. King Ryan 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if it all had been a dream? What if he would see the Nether again when he opened his eyes?  
> If all of it had been a lie, he was going to surely lose what was left of his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter and are happy to see Ray again!  
> So, King Ryan will actually be three chapter because of the imense length of it. This right here is more of a filler-chapter than anything else but some things need to be done and said.

9\. King Ryan

 

_Maybe we're all insane_

_The way that we live reminiscing for the head game_

 

Ray slowly regained consciousness.

It felt like he had been in a deep sleep and for once his body didn't arch or hurt but there was a weight on his chest, making breathing a bit hard. Overall he still felt better than he had in a long, long time and as the memories flooded back, he shivered. What if it all had been a dream? What if he would see the Nether again when he opened his eyes?

If all of it had been a lie, he was going to surely lose what was left of his mind.

The fear twisted his stomach and he needed some time to compose himself before he dared to raise his lids.

For a second there was the tint of dying red again, but it was gone the moment he blinked, replaced by a clear sky. Gray, as if the day was just about to dawn upon him. That didn't matter though.

This was the normal world. He was alive again.

Sighing content, he rubbed his face, pinching his own cheeks to make sure he was awake. It stung a bit and he couldn't help but smile at that little pain.

It was nothing compared to what he had been through.

Remembering the unfamiliar weight, he looked down, seeing messy hair that could only belong to Gavin. The jester was resting on his chest, an arm lazily laying across his belly.

He really was back, wasn't he?

With a pleasant chuckle, Ray patted the head before looking around. They were in a forest of some sort and somewhere behind him, he could hear a horse nickering. He also noticed that Gavin wasn't exactly hugging him as his fingers laid on the bow next to them.

Were they in danger?

“You're awake?”

Turning his head, he was surprised to see a woman to his left, slowly making a way towards them. For a moment he felt alarmed, his reflexes telling him to get up but he recognized the armor. Black armor was rare and was only given to special warriors. It was made out of the skin of endermen, which was a rare resource but it was light and durable.

She had to be an outstanding warrior to have been given this gift and right now he didn't have a weapon to protect himself, so he merely nodded.

“Good.” The woman was carrying a carafe but stood still in a safe distance: “My name is Lindsay and you must be Ray?”

“How can you tell?”, he asked cautious but couldn’t quite keep his eyes on her, wondering if there was water in the carafe. Suddenly he felt terribly thirsty.

She simply nodded towards the jester: “He told me. So Ray, how about you tell me what exactly happened last night?”

That actually surprised him: “How should I know?”

“I don't care but I would really love to know how Gavin managed to get into the Nether and back out again. That shouldn't be possible.”

“Why don't you just ask him?”, Ray snarled, ready to wake his friend up if necessary.

But it wasn't, as Lindsay sighed and took another step. It was as if she crossed a line because the jester stirred, the bow in his hand as he spun around, facing her immediately. His fingers grazing the arrows but stopping as he recognized her. Still he didn't lower them.

“What do you want?”, he asked with clenched teeth.

“I just want to talk, Gavin.”, she replied with a sigh. “I am not your enemy, I just want some answers.”

He didn't reply and Ray decided to sit up himself, feeling the eyes of his friend on him: “What exactly is going on?”

“Well your little Jester here managed to step through the portal and pull you out without much trouble, which shouldn't be possible. Still he did it.”, Lindsay began to explain, stopping only when Gavin actually pulled out an arrow and put it on the string.

“Shut up.”, he hissed. “It's none of your business”

“I spent the night nursing the people you burned and that's what makes it my fucking business!”, she replied with a snarl as she started to walk again. “You are obvious someone from the Nether but I know the records for the past years; only one person made it out of there and that was Ryan Haywood. Well and now your friend here, I guess.”

“Wait, what?”, Ray asked confused, feeling a bit left out.

“Just go!”, Gavin whispered, making it almost sound like he was begging. The bow shook a bit as she walked towards them.

“Only if you tell me that you are no harm to the people I am looking out for.”

“I am not!”, he declared. “They didn't stop closing in, it was self-defense!”

“You gave them hope! You destroyed everything I worked for the past years!”

“Well too bad for them!”, he screamed. “I don't care about them! What are they to me? I didn't come here to safe them!”

“You came here to safe yourself, selfish bastard!”, she shouted fuming.

“I just wanted to get my friend back! What's so wrong about that? I'm nothing different than any of them!”

“Yes you are! You want to get your friend back for your own sake and no-”

“That's not true!” Raging, he pulled the string back, baring his teeth. She didn't even blink at that, just reaching behind her and drawing a small weapon from her belt. It was a curved blade on top of a thick pole, not dangerous on the distance between them, but both man noticed the glowing runes on it. The enchantment came to life as she swung the weapon and it unfolded, turning into a long war scythe that could easily reach them.

Both of them flinched as the sharp blade pointed at them.

“Try to shoot, but if you do I will slice you open before you get the next arrow.”, she announces ominous, the carafe tightly pressed to her body.

Gavins eyes narrowed as he seemed to think of his next step, probably wagering if he could hit her first.

Ray was pretty sure he couldn't. “Stop it now.”, he hissed, putting a hand on the shoulder of his friend. Feeling how his muscles relaxed underneath the skin as he lowered his arm and the bow.

“Fine.”, Gavin growled.

“And if someone would be so nice to explain to me what is actually going on?”, the knight asked, still at loss over the whole situation. The woman eyed him thoroughly before she let her weapon retract and handed him the carafe: “Drink. I'll get you food later. I think you guys have a bit to talk about.” Throwing a harsh look towards the jester, she added: “And how about you start to tell the truth for once? I'll be back and don't you dare just run away.”

And with that she went and left both of them alone.

Greedily, Ray drank before he offered the water to his friend, who simply shook his head and stayed quiet.

“So...”, the knight began. “What the hell is happening?”

For a moment, Gavin didn't react but as he opened his mouth no noise came out before he stayed silent, shrugging. In the end he managed to say: “Many things. I don't really know where to start. Sorry.”

“Let's start with you telling me where we are.”

It seemed to make it easier for him as he answered right away: “We're at the portal. I figured I would find Jack here but he had already left by the time I got here.”

“How did you even know of this place?”

This time he was silent for a moment again, averting his gaze before he mumbled: “I read it.”

That was obviously a lie: “Gavin!” The knight lowered his voice a bit when the jester flinched at his harsh tone: “Please just start from the beginning.”

“Well... After Michael becam-”  
“No.”, he interrupted immediately. “From the beginning. What did that woman mean about you being from the Nether?”

Gavin stayed quiet, his lips pressed into a white line as he found more interest in his golden boots than the conversation. As the knight was sure he wouldn't get an answer, he added: “You saved my life yesterday and I will be forever in your debt for that. So what could you possible have to say that makes you so afraid? Where you in the Nether before?”

Running a hand through his messy hair, Gavin nodded slowly.

“So you died. Is that right?”, Ray dug further.

A second, more hesitating nod followed.

“But when?”

“I am... not really sure how old I was.”, the jester finally began. “But I was young, probably seven or eight when I died an-” He stopped when a hand found his shoulder.

“But how? How did you make it out alive? At this age there is no way you could have survived the Nether!”

Finally Gavin raised his head to meet his gaze, his eyes scared and lost: “I don't know. I don't remember anything; who I was or where I came from or how I died. My very first memory is of Geoff. When I came from the Nether someone called for the King. Have you never wondered why of all the orphans out there, he picked me? It was simply to investigate the matter at hand; how could a mere child survive a realm that swallowed the best and bravest warriors?” Shrugging, he sighed: “We never found an answer. Maybe someone helped me and my wounds weren't severe. Maybe I had been sick and simply fell asleep? I don't know. No one ever came to look for me so Geoff kept me, raising me as his own son. I am not so stupid to not know that the purpose was to keep an eye on me, see if I would remember eventually. It didn't happen and still he let me stay.” His gaze dropped back down as he added: “So that's the beginning I guess.”

Ray nodded slowly, thinking about it some more but his reaction had never been a question to him: “Why didn't you tell us that before?”

“Geoff didn't want me to at first.”, he explained eagerly, trying to please and serve an explanation. “But after he saw how close we three got, he allowed me and I was so happy! I wanted to tell someone, I really did! But... but I was a bit scared about your reaction and... there didn't seem to be a right moment...”

“Guess it's a strange thing to just blurt out.”, the knight admitted, before he ruffled the others hair. “It doesn't really matter though.”

“It does.”, those words were bitter as Gavin tried to flee the touch.

“Whatever. That fact saved my life and I am grateful.” Without a second thought, Ray got on his knees and bowed his head: “Thank you, Gavin of the House Ramsey. Not only did you save my life but also my mind and soul. I owe you.”

“Get up!”, the jester hissed, giving him a playful shove.

“It's true though.”, Ray chuckled, feeling guilty for destroying the light mood they were having. “So Ryan got out again?”

The green eyes darkened at the memories: “I told Michael not to trust him. He didn't listen.”

“What happened?”, the knight insisted with a tense voice. It wasn't as if he couldn't imagine but he needed to exactly understand what was going on.

“He was killed. I'm sorry.”, Gavin whispered hasty. “I only left them for a short time, I really tried to keep him safe! I am so sorry!”

“So Ryan is king again?”

“Yes. I fled to get Jack but he wasn't here and so I just hoped to find someone in the Nether and... and here we are.”

“Alright...”, Ray said without meaning it. That looked grim, it looked very bad. What now? What action should he take?

It was still too early to think of a plan, there were some basic things to be taken care of first.

“Do you have my rapier?”

“Sorry.”, the jester repeated. “I didn't think I would find you but on the other hand I am sure it was locked away. Will that help?” Shifting, he drew the simple iron sword and feeling bad just for suggesting that. Ray was used to way better weapons than that.

“That will have to work until we find something better. Thanks!” He laughed when the jester started to unbuckle the sheath and as Gavin followed his amused look towards the red coat he was still wearing, he blushed.

“Guess you want that back...”

“You brought my cloak but not my rapier?” Ray mocked him.

“I just kept it for... good luck!”, the jester defended himself, loosening the brooch.

As he had the familiar fabric in his hands, the knight felt strangely nostalgic. Brushing over the slightly faded red, he couldn't find a single bloodstain in it. He didn't even need his fuzzy memories of his death to know it had been soaked.

“Thanks for keeping such good care of it.”, he mumbled, noticing that it smelled like Gavin now.

His friend only nodded, still a bit embarrassed. Ray reached out, grabbed his chin and forced him to look him in the eye: “You had a horrible time, right? I know that. I had one, too. But the worst is over and now it will get better.”

“What if you are wrong?”  
“I am not.” Letting him go, he threw the cloak over his shoulders: “Trust me. Now it's our time to strike.”

 

Lindsay showed up later, bringing food and a new carafe. Gavin was still tense around her but let her approach. A reason for that might be the growling stomach of his friend. Earlier Ray hadn't noticed but he was hungry.

Thinking about it, this body didn't have any food yet but he tried to ignore the question where this shell came from or what happened with the old one. Rather he gorged down his food hastily under the eyes of the other two, trying to care but not finding the heart to do so.

They were obviously impressed with how good he was taking the whole situation and if he was honest, he was too. The memories of the Nether were still fresh and gruesome in the back of his head but he managed not to think about them. Also a part of him still believed he was just dreaming.

In the end Lindsay went back without questioning Gavin anymore but it was obvious that the topic was far from over and she was just giving them a break.

It was needed as the two lads could use some more time to get used to each other again, carefully avoiding certain topics.

Topics like Michael.

When the night dawned, Ray felt like he had caught up, at least with the most basic information. His head felt heavy after this day and even though Gavins eyes never left him, as if he would disappear right away if they did, he told him he would go to sleep. Seeing how his friend was still excited, he was sure the jester wouldn't find rest in the next hours.

But without any hesitation, Gavin handed him the big, black mantel as a blanket and started to collect wood from around them, ready to start a small fire for the night.

In all honesty Ray didn't even see the first spark before he slipped away.

He woke up in the Nether just like he had expected. And still it hurt his heart and crushed his soul. It had been too good to be true, right?

Who was he to deserve that?

It had been just a cruel joke.

So now he waited until he found enough strength to pull himself further in hope to see the real portal one day. But as he looked around, he made out the golden spark he had seen before as well.

The spark that was going to be those ridiculous boots of his friend, who would pick him up and carry him out.

Briefly, he wondered if he was in some sort of loop – bound to relive this scene over and over again. He was ready to take the risk if he needed to.

Maybe one day, he would really break out.

But it was already changing, because Gavin moved, turning around and leaving him behind. Panic and fear took hold of him like a fever as he reached out with a scream.

Gavins name echoed loud through the woods as Ray stared up into the sky with wide eyes, his blood rushing in his ear.

Again there was a weight on his chest, which got lifted immediately as his friend sat up, looking at him scared and concerned.

“Ray?”

“Sorry.”, he managed to say, before he shivered. Covering his eyes, he breathed deeply to calm his frantic beating heart.

“It's fine.”, the jester mumbled, back to being sleepy as he saw his friend wasn't in danger. “I know that feeling.”

Observing Gavin between the gaps of his fingers, he nodded. Gavin had always dealt with those nightmares and now it seemed obvious as to why.

“Was kinda waiting for it, to be honest.”, the jester yawned, before settling back down. “Don't worry. I'll be there. They are not so scary anymore when someone is around.”

Ray bit his lips, not trusting his voice to say anything. Instead he focused on the feeling as Gavin nuzzled closer to him, bringing back the needed warmth in the middle of the night. It really did calm him down, listening to the regular breaths of his friend as he tried to fit his own to the pace.

It took a while but when he succeeded, he let his arm sink, staring at the stars stretching above them. Stars were a sign for being in the real world, he needed to remember that.

“The Nether is a terrible place.”, he muttered softly, mostly to himself as he figured Gavin was back asleep. But the jester nodded, his hair brushing against his shoulders: “Yeah, it is.”

“Will you go back?”

“Yes. Maybe I find Geoff or Michael.”

“What if you get lost?”

“I won't.”, he said with a confident smile. Crooking his neck, he looked up to Ray: “Will you join me?”

“No.”, he replied immediately, surprised by his own shaking voice. But simply thinking about it made him shiver in fear. Never. That right there was the line for him. There wasn't a single reason he could think of to make him go back.

Not even for Geoff.

Not even for Michael.

“Sorry.”

“Don't be.”, Gavin hummed softly, letting his head rest on his arm again. “I guess I'm lucky for not remembering.”

“Yeah.”

“You think you can go back to sleep?”  
“Not really.”

“Please try.”

“I will.” It didn't work for the longest time. Ray stayed awake, watching the sky move above him, before he focused on his friend who slipped away so easily. It wasn't as if he had a quiet sleep, his eyes rolled under his lids and sometimes he winced, his muscles tense.

But when Gavin woke up again, it was more of a sleepwalk motion, making him look around before he scooted closer, letting his head once again rest on the chest of his friend.

It didn't bother Ray, but he was confused by the behavior. Still it had something soothing because this time, Gavin actually seemed peaceful, not moving around anymore.

It lulled the knight to sleep eventually.

 

They didn't stay much longer. The next day Lindsay showed up again, as determined as ever to get some answers. This time Ray talked to her, knowing that Gavin wasn't comfortable with the topic of his death, so the jester rather took care of Grisham.

It was a tense conversation because the knight refused to answer all too personal question, only telling her what she needed to know. Lindsay seemed to get it, not pushing anymore. It was clear that she was just glad to understand what had happened.

Also, seeing how passionate she was about the people here, it would certainly help her to know more about the Nether. So it didn't take long until she asked about Rays experience.

He told her with a hesitating voice, also not all too happy with sharing his memories. Again she respected that without much fuss.

After she was gone, Ray joined Gavin on a hunt, stocking their supplies. Also the knight wanted to train his ability with the sword – of course he had fought with one before but it was still a bit unfamiliar.

Two days later, Gavin went back into the Nether. Ray had protested, reminding him how dangerous it could be, not actually expecting to argue him out of it.

So he nervously sat in front of the portal, feeling the call emitting from the vortex and the stares of the people behind him. They had greeted the jester like some sort of savior, begging him to rescue their loved ones.

Ray knew that if Gavin would stumble over someone, he would get them out but besides that, he would not search for them. And if he had a choice between one of his friends and a stranger, he wouldn't give a damn about their lives.

It took the jester longer then it should and as the hours passed, Ray found himself considering to follow him, knowing that he would never find enough courage to do so.

Lindsay joined him soon, offering him a friendly strife to pass the time and he agreed, hoping it was going to occupy his mind.

But when Gavin appeared again, he let his guard fall, Lindsay barely missing him as he watched his friend.

Something had gone wrong.

Ray could see it in the pale face of the jester and the way he swayed, looking at the ground before him without moving a single step. He was with him in seconds, taking a strong hold on his arm.

“What happened?”, he whispered harshly, already dragging him away from the people trying to get to him.

“I think I remembered something. It's in the back of my head and I can't grasp it. Like a passed bad dream.”, Gavin whispered softly, letting his friend guide him without any resistance.

That night after the knight woke up from his own nightmare, he couldn't find Gavin next to him like always. The jester sat in front of the fire, watching it intently and soon Ray joined him, also feeling attracted by the calming sight of the flames. Fire meant light and light meant not to wander around in darkness.

The next morning they left without saying goodbye. Still they could make out Lindsays black armor between the trees. At least she didn't try to stop them.

They walked next to Grisham in no need to hurry this time.

“Back to the castle?”, Gavin asked after a while of silent marching.

“I guess. Do you have a better idea?” He already knew the answer because they had discussed it so often in the past days.

“It's our only clue.”

“Exactly. I can't think of any other place Jack could be.”, Ray retraced. “I can imagine him hiding right under Ryans nose, down in the city. That way he could keep an eye on everything going on.”

“Sounds right.”

“Who knows.”, the knight continued amused. “By the time we get back maybe Jack is already on the throne.”

Gavin laughed at that and added with a grin: “How awkward that would have been when suddenly Ryan stumbled out of the portal.”

Snorting, Ray nodded even though it wasn't necessarily funny. Ryan could come back if he wasn't killed the right way.

Cutting him down so that he wouldn't be able to walk anymore was the only way to lock him in.

Gavin had said that, revealing that he had read all the books that contained the slightest thing to do with the Nether. He also told him about the so called gift. Magic like his fire.

Ray had thought long about that but he couldn't find the smallest spark of it in him.

Gavin wasn't as much help either, admitting that he had no idea when or how he had noticed his gift as a child. He remembered that Geoff had caught him one day, yelling at him for doing something so dangerous.

So when Ray didn't make any progress in finding out what his magic was, he let it go. They had more important things to do and timidly Gavin had even suggested that maybe he didn't get a gift.

Because in some way, Ray hadn't gotten out of the Nether on his own.

That was fine. The only thing that mattered to him was that he was out, but it made him think what Ryans magic was.

A more dangerous Mad King was certainly something he didn't look forward to because secretly his goal wasn't to find Jack. Not that he didn't want to see his friend and mentor again, he yearned for every familiar person he could find!

But Ryans head was his to take. They had started that fight and they would finish it off.

That was something he couldn't tell Gavin as they walked on the plain lands. The jester was even more careful, avoiding danger at all cost now.

They slept in abandoned houses they found on their ways, cuddled together under the single cloak against the cold wind.

Gavins habit continued, tossing and turning and waking up sleepily in the middle of the night, only to lay his head on the chest of his friend before he could rest.

It amazed Ray how long it took him to understand that the jester checked on his heartbeat, to make sure it was still there.

The gesture touched him deeply and he kind of wanted to know what exactly happened after he had died, but still they avoided the topic of Michael.

It was his own fault though.

He still hadn't made up his mind as what to feel about Michaels death. Or that Michael had killed him before that.

Such a strange and scary thing to think about.

 

The next days passed without many obstacles as they wandered until they found a good place to sleep that was safe enough. Leaving Echolon-Forest behind, mobs spawned again, roaming through the night hours.

It was in the dim twilight when Ray saw the group of gigantic spiders at the edge of a nearby forest. Gavin saw them as well, already altering their course. In front of them was a building they wanted to sleep in, maybe a farm, but this time the knight stopped in his tracks.

Thinking for a moment, he drew his sword but was immediately stopped by his friend: “What do you think you are doing?”

“Fighting these monsters.”, he replied calm. “I need to train, technically this body never experienced a real fight.”

“No.”, the jester simply said, his hand tightly wrapped around the others arm. “I won't let you. It's too dangerous.”

“Those are just spiders.”

“I don't care.”

They stayed like this, unmoving, until Ray turned towards him and grabbed his wrist, trying to tug his hand away: “I will go.”

“I won't let you.”, Gavin said with a stubborn look on his face, his fingers digging into the skin. “You will get hurt.”

“I won't.”

“Please don't leave me.”

Those words let guilt float his guts and Ray knew all too well that it was the whole purpose of them. The jester flinched and his grip loosened when his friend forced him to do so.

“I will be back.”, he muttered, before turning around and walking towards the spiders. He needed the training, he needed to know what this body was capable of. It felt like his old one but how could he be sure?

What if his reflexes were gone? Or his limps didn't remember the way they were suppose to move?

The worst case scenario would be when his speed was gone.

That was the only thing he could beat Ryan in.

It turned out his worries were not needed. He sliced through the first two spiders before they noticed him, getting the last two in the air while they tried to jump him. Maybe it wasn't as elegant as with his rapier because he stumbled a bit over the unfamiliar weapon but the memories of his body where still deep within his bones.

That let a heavy weight fall from his shoulders and he headed back with eased steps, finding Gavin where he had left him, sitting on the floor, the hands tightly clasp over his ears.

Sighing, Ray crouched down and nudged him gently: “Come on, stand up.”

Lowering his arms, the jester looked angrily at him: “Why did you do that?!”

“I told y-”

“What would I have done if you got hurt? No way I could have brought you to a doctor in time!”

Now Ray felt his own temper get to him: “You are being ridiculous! Those were just spiders, how about having a bit of trust in me?”

“How can I trust you with that!” Abruptly Gavin stood up: “You died before, so how should I trust in your abilities! Michael sliced you open!”

The knight felt a sting of hurt, as he snarled: “Are you seriously going to compare Michael to spiders? Congratulations; you just insulted two of your friends in a single sentence!”

For a moment, he was sure Gavin would talk back to him but then the jester lowered his eyes, mumbling: “I just don't want you to get hurt.”

“Then why weren't you next to me right now? Why didn't you help me against the spiders?”, Ray asked, watching as his friend looked at him shocked, his eyes wide. As if the idea hadn't even crossed his mind once.

The knight passed him, letting him tail behind, both lost in their own thoughts.

Silently they entered the farm shortly after, finding a relatively clean room upstairs and without another word being said, they laid down.

As Ray watched the webs on the ceiling, he wanted nothing more than to sigh deeply and go to sleep. It wouldn't happen for now, he knew that. He also knew that Gavin felt the same.

It was easy to tell if the jester was awake – he was still curled next to him, his back facing him. The moment he would slip off, he would move his head to his chest.

For a moment, he considered to apologize but he knew that he had done nothing wrong.

Gavin had always been worried for them but it were Lindsays words that kept him awake.

That he had been saved for Gavins own sake.

Deep down, he knew it was true, that his friend was selfish but he also cared deeply for the people close to him. Maybe that was also for his own sake, to not be alone but it was starting to get worse.

That had already begun when Geoff had died but now it had reached a new level. Briefly, he wondered if he did the same to Michael. If he had smothered the warrior with his worry, probably reaching its peak when Ryan had showed up again.

It certainly didn't help that Michael had still been killed under his watch.

Gavin sat up next to him, watching him with the same sleep drunken eyes as every night before he rested his head on his chest.

Well, at least someone had found sleep, Ray thought to himself, while he felt the familiar weight comforting him.

The arm of the jester moved lazily across his stomach, before he relaxed and the knight flinched as he saw the dark marks on the wrist. It were his own fingerprints from their little fight earlier when he had ripped Gavins hand away.

Now he had a reason to feel sorry.

Finally sighing, he let his hand rest on the mess of hair that belonged to his friend, just like Michael had done.

What point was fighting going to bring anyway?

They were both scared and broken and lost.

Maybe if he could kill Ryan...

He didn't want to become king again but he certainly wasn't going to let him stay on the throne.

He would kill the Mad King as many times as he needed to.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not many things happened but I hope you still enjoyed it; see you guys next week =D


	10. King Ryan 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They reached the city four days later.  
> It felt incredibly strange, stepping into the familiar streets and finding that nothing had changed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early update because I get home from work late today; so enjoy the final of King Ryan!

10\. King Ryan

 

_Coming around again, I'm feeling much better my friend_

_The doctor says; “I'm sorry, you must attend to your little white room again.”_

_To my little white room._

 

They reached the city four days later.

It felt incredibly strange, stepping into the familiar streets and finding that nothing had changed. Well, besides the mood. Even though the marketplace was still buzzing with activity there was less laughter and not many people stayed to talk with each other. Everyone did their assigned jobs as fast as possible.

A sense of insecurity was covering it all.

Nobody recognized them as they walked through the alleys. Gavin had bought a second mantle so that both of them were disguised. Of course Ray wasn't wanted but the jester could be.

Now that they were here it was clear that they wouldn't find Jack without having a clue where to start, so observing the marketplace seemed like a good idea. He had to get supplies at some point, right?

If he had no help from others, that is.

Ray knew they were going to be spotted before they had any success, so he asked bluntly: “How can we get into the castle without anyone noticing?”

“Why do you want that?”, the jester replied, shooting him a worried glance. “Are you planning to kill Ryan?”

“Not so loud!”, he shushed him, lowering his own voice. “Of course not! But Jack could be there as well and I want to get my rapier.”

“You think you can just walk into the armory and take it?”

“Not the diamond one. I left my original one down in the dungeons, right?”

Gavin grew silent, watching the people passing them before he slowly nodded: “I guess I can find a way into the dungeons. It's not hard to get in there but how do we get out?”

“Didn't you say that last time the guards let you pass?”

“Do you honestly think we are lucky enough to do that again?”

“But think about it that way, Gavin. We know the people in there! The guards know what's going on and maybe we can get some information out of them.”, Ray suggested. “If we ask strange questions around here we will get caught, but depending on who we will find in the castle... there are people in there who knew at least you since you were a child.”

The jester didn't say a word in the longest time, obviously thinking it over, before he turned away, pointing towards a roof: “Let's get a look from above. We can probably see Jack then.”

Ray frowned at that but played along: “Fine.” At some point, Gavin would realize how futile that was.

 

It took him nearly a week of observing different parts of he city until the jester stopped in his tracks, sighing deeply: “If we can get to the barns I can get you into the castle.”

“Really?” Ray tried to lower his voice and not sound so enthusiastic but by the look his friend shot him, he was failing: “The barns aren't guarded, we only need to get through the gate and that should be possible if we are careful.”

“Just to make this clear.”, Gavin interrupted him. “I dislike this idea because it's dumb and dangerous but it's not like we have a better one.”

“It'll be fine!”, the knight assured him but his friend simply shook his head.

“Let's go then. The gate is at least open right now, it will be harder to get inside when it's closed at night.”

So they headed towards the castle and Ray was already getting excited, feeling that they were on the right way now. That finally something was happening.

It was incredibly easy to step through the gate and he was going to make sure to change this if he ever got back to being in charge.

They simply joined a few other people and the eyes of the guards scanned lazily over the crowd, before they went back to chat. So soon afterward, they rounded the barn, slipping through a window inside. While Ray kept an eye on the stable-lads, Gavin fumbled a bit around until he discovered the entry and waving him inside.

Being in the small passage, both took a deep breath before moving on.

“This right here is a terrible security issue.”, Ray muttered beneath his breath, which made the jester actually laugh.

“It's just known to the King and his family.”

“Still someone could find it and walk straight into the castle!”  
“By now no one did. But you are right; we will come out near my room. Why don't we go there first? Observing the situation a bit?”

“Sounds perfect.” There they could wait until nightfall when there were less people walking through the castle. Sneaking around then was going to be a lot easier and with some luck he could reach the king by the end of this day!

Biting back a grin, Ray reminded himself not to rush things. First he had to check his surroundings. A mistake could get him and Gavin caught, thrown in the dungeons at the mercy of the Mad King. He couldn't let that happen!

The jester stopped and he nearly walked into him, waiting while Gavin carefully lifted the cover in front of them, probably a heavy tapestry to cover the passage. He peeked for a few minutes before he actually dared to step out.

Ray followed him quickly, hurrying through the hallways on light feet, listening to any noises. They reached Gavins room without a hindrance and both took a huge breath when they closed the door behind them.

They fell silent upon seeing the familiar room, feeling memories of better times coming towards them.

Ray shook them off first: “So let's wait for the night?”

“Yeah.” Getting rid of the mantle, the jester let himself fall on his bed, sighing with relieve. The knight followed him a moment later, knowing that he would need all the sleep in the world.

Still he hadn't actually counted on slipping away right then, so when he opened his eyes in the dark, he felt disorientated and confused. It was the weight resting on his chest that reminded him that he wasn't dreaming. On the other hand, he simply waited for his dreams to catch up on that habit and use it against him.

Rubbing his face, he laid therefor a few more moments, gathering his courage and thinking through his plan. First thing was clear; get down to the dungeons and get the rapier. That should be easy, there was no reason for someone to guard that room. After that he would either head back here or towards the throne room, depending on the amount of guards.

Still, he knew their ways and how to avoid most of them.

He should be fine.

Gently, he pushed Gavin from him, so that he could stand up, making sure the jester slept on. Getting out of the room, he sneaked through the hallways, using a longer but safer way.

Ryan had increased the guards at night but not too much. It was easy to avoid them, knowing their route and their timing and so getting into the dungeon was no problem. His rapier was still there, unmoved since the last time he had been here. It felt good to have it back in his hands as he exchanged the sword with it.

By now, everything had gone well and after pondering for a moment, Ray smiled to himself. Why not give it a try?

If he wasn't going to get into a dangerous situation until he reached the throne room, he would go after Ryan.

His knowledge served him well once again on his way.

He managed to go unnoticed until he reached the hallways that led towards the throne room, just like he had predicted.

It felt like a déjà vu as he turned the corner with waving cloak, ready to kill Ryan. Only that this time he didn't have his diamond rapier or a crown on his head or Gavins help that had saved him before. Also he couldn't tell the guards to let him pass as he stood in front of them.

Still he didn't feel nervous, being so much more determined than last time.

There were three man standing here, staring at him like they were seeing a ghost. Well, that was close.

With an amused smirk, he drew his rapier, pointing it towards them: “Let me pass or I will have to kill you.”

For a moment they didn't move but then they charged at him, sure that one person alone wasn't going to be a challenge.

It was a welcome miscalculation as Ray wielded his weapon, drawing red across the floor. It came to his mind that he knew those people, that one of them even trained with him and Michael in the past. They were going to be sent into the Nether, the same place he feared more than anything but somehow that didn't matter to him.

His old rapier cutting through flesh, bringing out the beautiful red that was so close beneath the skin was too much bliss to worry about such unimportant things.

With light steps he moved on as the three bodies hit the floor, feeling a hum at the back of his throat as he found the next group coming towards him, probably alerted by the noises the fight had caused. Ray fell into a sprint, repeating the same warning as before as he ran towards them headfirst. None of the guards reacted to that, so he playfully spun out of the way of an attack before he let his blade dance again, spraying red pearls across the walls.

The fight was over in a flash or at least it felt like that when he stepped over an unmoving body, feeling a burning in his muscles he had missed. Shaking his rapier free of gore he paint the windows with drops, halting when he saw his own reflection.

Already he was drenched, blood dripping lazily from his chin before he had even reached the king. It was of the same pretty color as he had remembered, cleaning his mind from the dirty red of the Nether. Watching his own dark eyes with dilated pupils as they grew hungry, he giggled to himself.

It's been so long since he had felt this free.

Excited, he hurried towards the last hallway, knowing he was going to find at least two more guards in front of the door. Maybe even more! Maybe, just maybe if he would feed the Nether enough it would stop calling out to him!

So when he jumped the guards he didn't bother to give them a choice, not even hesitating when the last of them dropped his sword, holding up his empty hands. Cutting his throat, the knight watched him fall down, feeling his uniform stick wet to his quickly rising chest. Stifling the upcoming laughter with his hand, he tasted copper immediately on his tongue while he tried to be quiet. As if Ryan hadn't already heard him by now.

It didn't necessary matter, he knew the Mad King good enough to know he wouldn't just stand behind the door to stab him before he even stepped a foot in the room. No, Ryan would fight him head on.

Tingling with excitement, Ray pushed the door open, finding the king as predicted on his throne. Walking to stand right in the middle of the room, he frowned as he noticed that Ryan was actually asleep. How could he dare to fall asleep right now? That man never slept!

But there he was, his head resting on the plush lean, eyes closed. He looked older and Ray could see the dark bags under his eyes, knowing well they shared them both. Sleep was rare with all those nightmares of the Nether.

Somehow knowing that they shared the same pain made him hesitate.

The door fell close behind him, making Ryan stir with its sound. His lids fluttered open, gaze falling on the knight in front of him. For a moment the king didn't move, before he sat up.

“Ray?”, he mumbled sleepily, before he reached up and rubbed his eyes with his knuckles. It was such a childlike behavior that once again the knight felt his will to move vanish.

“Are you real?”, the king asked confused.

Had he also dreamed of him? Had it been nightmares? Right now he probably looked like one, covered in red with a wild look on his face and a rapidly rising and falling chest. Ray grinned at that thought, apparently only making it worse when Ryan shivered slightly.

At last his legs worked again, bringing him closer towards the man. Finally the king grasped the situation as he reached for his sword, feeling a foot stomp on his hand, pinning it against the sheath. His free hand moved towards the bigger sword that leaned against the throne but a blade pressed itself against his throat and he stopped.

“Don't move.”, Ray hummed low, obviously enjoying the power he had right now. “Mogar is not yours to use against me, don't dare to lay a single finger on it or I will cut them off.”

“Alright.”, Ryan agreed, retrieving his hand slowly to his side.

“Good.” Taking deep breaths, the knight tried to calm his beating heart down but the heavy scent of gore made it hard. He noticed that some of the drops had landed on the other man, already soaking him before he could get a chance on it.

“You made it out?”, the king asked and Ray focused back on his face. “And now you want to take the crown again?”

“I don't have any intentions in becoming the King again. I just hate to see you on this throne you don't belong to.”

“Then who will lead? Not even Gavin is here anymore – they are all gone.”

The fake sadness in his voice that always sounded so real made Ray nearly slit his throat right then and there. He held back, knowing that he had to kill him in other ways. Also knowing something the king did not, amused him: “I am aware.”

Ryan swallowed, before he took a deep breath and whispered: “I can give you Michael though.”

 

Gavin woke up because the steady drum in his ears had stopped and that meant that it was morning and Ray had gently pushed him aside to get something to eat. But as he opened his eyes it was still dark and he laid alone. He recognized his room and listened for another person here but grew more and more worried when he couldn't hear anything.

“Ray?”, he whispered softly, feeling around the bed for a second body that wasn't there.

“Ray?”, he asked louder, sitting up and letting a flame appear in his hand. His friend wasn't here.

It was so obvious where he was.

Throwing the blanket from him, he jumped to his feet, wrapping the scarf around his neck and grabbing his bow before he headed out. Creeping through the corridor he ducked right into the secret passage, hoping he would catch up in time.

Running through the barns and over the courtyard without caring for a cover, he was lucky enough to not get caught as he reached the entry to the dungeon. The jester skipped down the stairs, trying to be as fast and as quiet as possible in the dark. He stumbled when he saw the door already open.

That meant that Ray was inside, it meant that he was still there, collecting his weapon. Gavin wasn't too late!

Coming to a halt, he stared into the empty room that contained nothing but his old iron sword, trying to control his breathing as panic took hold of him. Of course Ray would go after the king! Of course he would be this stupid!

Swearing quietly, he turned around, ready to head towards the throne room when he heard someone on the stairs down the hallway.

The jester stepped back into the room, quietly closing the door to let them pass, bringing his bow in front of him.

Just in case...

He didn't expect to hear the kings own voice from the other side and while he still wondered what this meant, Ray answered.

Shocked, Gavin froze in place, hearing his own blood rushing through his ears as he reached out to the door. Slowly creaking it open and looking through the opening, he saw both of them walking further into the dungeon.

With wide eyes, he noticed the blood drenching his friend but he didn't seem hurt. Rather he had overtaken Ryan, his rapier pressed into the back of the king as he followed him.

What was going on?

Biting on his lip, Gavin tried to make sense of it as he watched both of them disappear down the next stairs.

Did Ray capture the king and wanted to lock him up? But not killing him meant he was still carrying the crown and he couldn't imagine Ryan just giving it to the knight.

Guards came from the dungeons and he quickly closed the door again. Why didn't they help Ryan? Did he tell them to leave?

When the steps grew quiet, he opened the door again and slipped out. Holding the bow still in front of him, he followed them on quick feet, not sure yet what to do if he was going to reach them.

Their voices echoed towards him and as he reached the labyrinth of cells in the dungeon, he feared he had lost them. But as he looked around, he found red drops on the floor, showing him the way like breadcrumbs.

They led him into an even darker part of the dungeon, which seemed abandoned because the cells were empty, only gathering dust.

Turning a corner, he noticed Rays red cape disappearing on the next crossway and he hurried up to not lose them again.

 

Ryan had told him that Michael was still alive. That he had only imprisoned him and was going to show him exactly where in exchange for his live.

The knight had hesitated, wagering the possibilities if it were true or not. It was a single sentence that led him to trust the king on that: “I didn't want him to go into the Nether after experiencing that horror myself.”

Again the obvious connection between them let him believe in those words. No matter what Michael had done to him, it would not enrage him enough to sent him into the Nether himself.

So he let the king leave his weapons behind before he followed him down into the dungeons, his rapier always present on the other mans back. It was when they reached the abandoned part of the dungeons that he felt his will slip away. The hate for Ryan still burning through his veins just like his adrenaline, even when the blood slowly dried on him.

Ray hated when that happened. It lost the rich color that way, turning into a dirty brown that he despised. It was so hard to control himself when fresh red was so close to his blade.

And to be honest; he was able to find Michael himself if he was down here.

Before he could so much as smirk, he noticed the king tensing in front of him. As if his bloodlust had given him away.

Pulling his weapon back, he was ready to stab but this time Ryan was faster, barely stepping out of his reach before turning around.

“Don't! We had a deal, Ray!”, he yelled, shivering when the knight finally crooked his mouth into a bloody grin.

“I don't care.”, he hummed as he moved forward.

“I am not going into the Nether again.”, Ryan hissed, stepping back to not let the gap between them close. “So don't make me sent you back, please.”

It was stupid that he felt a tinge of fear because of those empty words but it still happened. The man in front of him had no weapons left, so why did he hesitate?

The king seemed to sense this: “Don't make me do this, Ray.”

Laughing loudly over his own stupidity, the knight let his cloak wave behind him as he charged: “There is no reason for me to listen to you, you are not my King, Vagabond!”

The man didn't move as Ray hauled his rapier towards his body but it wasn't necessary when his sight was simply blocked as if a black veil fell upon them. The knights blade cut into darkness as black smoke engulfed him completely, robbing him of his senses. Yellow eyes opened in front of him, hungry and as big as his own head.

It was the speed he was so proud of that drove him closer towards that monster before he was able to stop himself and in that moment Ray was sure that this was going to be the last thing he would ever see.

 

Gavins steps grew slower as a shiver went through his whole body. That had happened before when he heard the laughter coming from his friend and so obviously insane, that he was never going to admit that he had heard it. But this one here was different and he could feel the temperature drop.

Black smoke shot from the hallway the two men had entered only a minute before, lingering like unsettling dust, making the jester stop dead in his tracks.

There was something in there. He was sure of that fact, before he heard the heavy movements or the terrible bang, followed by something shattering. Parts of the stone walls were flung up towards him, indicated a strong impact which fitted the previous noises.

Then there was a low growl, rumbling through the empty halls so that he could feel it vibrating in his stomach. It was enough to make every hair of his body standing on end.

Finally the dust began to settle and he already started wishing it back up, not wanting to see what it hid so well.

Yellow eyes flashed for a second and suddenly he felt his legs again, stumbling backwards. His instincts taking over, telling him to run and hide and not to fight. Fighting meant death.

The figure slowly took form and it reminded him of a minotaur. Of that mythical creature he had read of as a child. It was huge, filling out the paths between the cells with no effort, even covering down a bit to not reach the ceiling.

Those yellow eyes blinked and that meant it was alive. And the beast huffed heavily and that also meant it was alive. And he could smell it and that meant it was real and it smelled like the Nether and he knew it was from there.

Gavin opened his mouth to scream but it got stuck in his throat as he felt the scenery before him tearing at his locked memories, trying to remind him just why exactly he had disliked those fairytales as a child.

It moved.

The enormous head that it had forced against the stone wall, creating a large dent in it moved towards him. Yellow eyes full of intelligence fell upon him and the air he had left in his lungs disappeared.

Something fell down as the beast turned and even when Gavin only saw it in the corner of his eyes, he would recognize that red anyway.

What was left of Ray hit the floor, crushed and bent.

The jester reached the other wall, leaning heavily against it as his chest moved frantic, his gaze still glued to the beast. Now he noticed the traces of blood on its forehead as well as a piece of clothing impaled on one of the spiral horns.

Gavins legs were trembling, barely holding him up as he sobbed, desperately rejecting what his eyes could see.

He was having a nightmare and he really, really needed to wake up.

The beast moved slowly, now interested in him and the jester shrieked horrified as the tears ran down his cheeks.

_Wake up._

He forced his eyes to close, trying to pull his mind together.

_Wake up._

Ray was dead.

_Wake up._

Ray was dead and the thing in front of him just killed him.

_Are you afraid of the dark?_

Again he had lost him.

_Wake up._

Why couldn't he protect even a single person?

_Then why weren't you next to me right now?_

He could smell the Nether all around him, hearing the movement.

“Wake up!”, he whispered harshly towards himself, opening his eyes again.

He was still in the same place, only that the beast was closer now.

Because this was reality and he was never going to wake up from that.

He watched the blood slowly drip from its nostrils and felt a spark of rage in between his fear, letting his muscles move again.

So this thing was from the Nether. Wasn't he also?

A shaking hand found an arrow, drawing it from its quiver but it bumped against the stones at his back and fell to the ground. Licking his lips, he knew he had to move away from the wall to get a good shot but that also meant to step closer towards the creature.

His whole body struggled against the two steps he forced himself to take, drawing the second arrow. This time he managed to lay it on the bow and the second he aimed his shivers subsided.

Letting go of the string, the arrow flew in a straight line, impaling one of the eyes, painting it in a red Ray would have loved. The beast roared, its head hitting the ceiling as it flinched back, sending stones raining down.

Gavin drew the next arrow but the creature shook its head, sending blood everywhere before its healthy eye locked back at him.

He hadn't expected the speed of that big body as it launched itself at him. The arrow meant to blind it completely missed as the beast bowed his head to crush him like it had done with Ray.

It was already too close to shoot a third time, so he simply lifted his hand, letting it get consumed by flames, knowing that the momentum was still enough to kill him. Raising his arms in a futile attempt to protect his head, he closed his eyes, listening to the roar of the creature.

No impact followed.

There was a hot breath of fire passing him, as well as the dust the beast had appeared in. But the creature was gone.

Blinking, Gavin made sure that he was seeing right and not that he was fooled. But the only thing besides him in the hallway was the unmoving body at the other end.

His legs were ready to give out any second, but he dragged himself forward, his breath heavy as blood rushed through his ears, nearly making him deaf. Reaching his friend, he finally gave in, dropping to his knees next to him just like last time.

Ray was still alive.

God knew how.

The brown eyes followed his movements as his body was too bend to do so. Gavin sobbed sorrowful, seeing the state his friend was in he dropped his bow and reached out. So desperate to touch and comfort, to at least be there this time but way to scared too hurt.

He couldn't find a place to hold onto that wasn't twisted or crushed, so he just covered his own mouth.

“R-ray...”, he whimpered pitiful, watching tormented when the knight actually tried to answer. But instead of words it was blood that spilled from his lips, covering him in his own favorite color.

“I'm sorry.”

Gavin slowly turned towards the voice, spotting the king standing behind him, having the nerves to let tears shine in his eyes.

“I'm sorry but it was either him or me. I'm sorry, Gavin.”

“Then why not you?”, he roared at the man, feeling the rage burn in his every bone.

“I can't go back.”, Ryan simply stated, shaking his head. “I can't go back into the Nether. Never again.”

“So you sent him back?”

“I didn't plan on that! He broke the deal and ma-”

“I don't care about you!”, the jester screamed. “It all started with you! It's your fault!”

“It's not me!”, the king responded, sounding almost like he was begging. “I don't do these things, I ju-”

“Be honest for once in your life and stop trying to pass the blame!”

“I am honest! I am not denying that I am also guilty but I am the only honest one here!”

“You want honesty? I can give you the truth that you desire!” Gavin turned towards him, shielding Ray with his body as he snarled at the other man: “The truth is, I wish you were dead! I wish I had never seen your face even once! You ruined everything!”

Ryan flinched under the intense stare, lowering his eyes as silence engulfed them. Sniffing, the jester looked over his shoulder, finding Rays eyes squinted in pain. Ryan wasn't important now. Ray was. He had to stay with him.

Oh so carefully, he leaned over him and started to hum close to his ear.

It was a broken, unknown melody, shaken by his feelings but it was the only thing that came to his mind right now. And maybe he was imagining it but the feverishly hot breaths hitting his neck were slowing down a bit.

Ryan could kill him easily. He wasn't even going to move from his position, this right here and now was his place and nothing was going to get him to leave. But the king didn't interfere in the slightest, waiting until the younger man ran out of breath.

Blinking, Gavin noticed that the eyes of his friends were looking past him, unseeing. With a quiet sob, he pressed his lips against Rays temples before sitting back up. Watching over the body with trembling bones and too dry eyes, he simply waited for something he wasn't even sure at to what it was.

“Gavin.”

He didn't react.

“Gavin?”

He wished this was a dream.

“Gavin!” Ryan moved behind him and slowly the jester reached out, caressing Rays hand before taking the rapier from it. The steps halted.

Staring at the blade, he should probably see his reflection but he couldn't concentrate, his mind too occupied with processing.

“If I kill you...”, Gavin mutter more to himself than towards Ryan. “You will just come back. I will only prevent that when I kill you in the right way. If I kill myself I can't be sure that I get a choice of simply staying dead.”

“Gav-”

“You killed Ray and he won't come back because he won't be able to move. So I should kill you, right?” Moving his head, he slowly found the cold eyes of the king, finding sadness in them: “But I don't think I can. I won't be able to break your bones or cut your limps. Even though it was you who said I would be more suited to fight with a rapier.” A crooked smile found its way to his face at the irony before it fell again: “And you wouldn't let me anyway, right? That beast... it's your gift, isn't it?”

“Edgar.”, Ryan said as if the name alone was going to explain. “I summoned the demon I have found in the Nether. It's my gift of surviving.”

Lazily, Gavin nodded: “Why did you stop it from killing me?”

“You weren't the target and I had no reason to harm you.”, the king added carefully, stopping when the jester began to laugh.

“Should I thank you for that? For the mercy of letting me stay in this situation?”, he spat in disgust.

“Gavin, please listen.” Ryan stepped closer, halting when the sharp blade pointed towards him, together with the lifeless stare. Gulping, he carefully chose his words: “Michael is still alive.”

It was a strange thing to see the hope return in the green eyes, making them overflow immediately when the pain settled in there as well.

“You are lying.”, the jester mumbled, his voice nearly demanding an affirmation.

“No! No, I am not!”, he assured him. “That's why I and Ray got down here!”

“Liar.” It sounded more like a question as he considered his choices from here.

“Listen, how about we make a deal?”, Ryan asked carefully as if he was speaking to a child. He even crouched down to be on an eye-level with him: “I have no weapons, you keep the rapier and I lead you to Michael, sounds good?”

“Is that what you told Ray before taking him down here and crushing his body?”, the jester asked bluntly.

“If I wanted you dead, we wouldn't have this conversation right now.”

Gavin sighed, throwing a look towards his dead friend behind him. What had he to lose besides that terrible hope that was eating away his insides?

Getting up on trembling legs, it took him a moment to find his balance before he nodded. The King also stood up and he followed him quietly. He knew, he had to bring the rapier into a position he was able to easily attack from, but the weapon felt too heavy. So he let it simply drag over the stone, enjoying the steady sound it made.

They reached the last row of cells and when Ryan halted, the jester passed him, walking towards the occupied cell to get a better look.

Michael watched him absentmindedly before he blinked, a spark filling his brown eyes when he recognized him: “Gav?”

The rapier fell from his hands as Gavin reached the bars, feeling his knees going weak. Sliding down, he sat hard on his knees, not able to say a word.

“Gavin?”, Michael asked again, his voice disbelieving. He crawled towards his friend as far as the shackles around his ankles would allow him as he reached out: “Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

The hand didn't quite reach the bars and the jesters sight blurred as he watched him. His friend had lost weight, his wrist red and raw from previous cuffs and he looked pale and sick.

Still it was him who asked this question.

Resting his head against the bars, he started to weep tiredly, trying so desperatly to understand what was going on.

“Michael and I had an agreement.”, Ryan said gently, as if he heard the jesters thoughts. “I get his hated throne and he his desired punishment for killing Ray.”

“But the bloody crown and... and everything...”, Gavin whispered, wrapping his arms around his trembling form.

“Everything was a charade. We had to make the people believe that I took the throne again.”

“Why didn't you at least tell me?”, the jester choked on the words, feeling the anger bubble up again. Didn't they realize what he had to go through because of all of this? How close his mind had been to shatter?

“I wanted to.”, Ryan simply said and in the corner of his eye, the jester saw the outstretched hand pull back.

Turning his head, he tried to catch Michaels eyes which were looking anywhere but his. “Why?”, he breathed.

“You would have stopped me.”, the warrior admitted, returning to the back of his cell again. “And I couldn't let you. For once I had to be the selfish one. Otherwise there wasn't a way to save myself.”

Finally their gazes met and Gavin could feel the sadness of betrayal and he grew angry. It was like a fire and he wasn't sure if he could stop it in time. He wanted to scream and yell with what little strength he had left, to maybe hurt his friend, to show him how much he had been hurt.

A big part of him wanted to leave him right here and simply go away.

That was before he recognized the fear for his judgment in the brown eyes, the hunched shoulders and the slight tremble of his body.

Gavin reached through the iron barns, offering his open hand.

If they weren't going to learn to forgive it was never going to end. And if Michael said he had to do this to safe himself he was going to believe him.

The warrior stared at him, before crawling ahead again and letting their fingers intertwine. Desperate, he hid his face with his free hand, biting his quivering lips as a sob ripped through him.

“I'm sorry... I am so sorry, Gav.”, he whimpered and still crying, the jester shook his head.

“It's alright. I forgive you.”, he smiled a little, letting his thumb draw circles on the back of Michaels hand. “I am just happy that you are alive.”

The warrior broke down, letting his head hit the floor as he wailed, desperately holding on like a small child.

Right now Gavin wanted nothing more than to take him in his arms, to have a single person to comfort and to share the pain with. It was messing with his head loosing one friend and gaining another and he felt overwhelmed, ready to faint from all of this. He wanted to sleep and not be awake.

Turning his head towards Ryan, he wanted to ask to open the cell when the man already kneeled next to him.

For a moment there was fear, realizing that the king was still incredibly dangerous and could kill both of them right here and now. But his eyes focused on the object in his hands.

“Maybe this is the way to stop all this madness.”, Ryan mumbled. Reaching out, he gently placed the crown on Gavins head. “Maybe this is how it should have been from the beginning.”

The jester simply stared at him, feeling the heavy crest slipping down, being too big for his head. It stopped, staying crooked on his hair.

“This is the key for the shackles. I gave Ray the one for the cell door. That was... part of our deal.”

“Ray?”, Michael asked with hope in his voice. A hope so innocent and bright that the jester flinched at it. “Ray is alive? He is back?”

Nobody dared to reply.

Gently, Ryan placed a key in Gavins free hand before standing up: “I'll get that one.”

He left and Gavin watched him go, before he reached up to readjust the unfamiliar weight on his head. Feeling Michaels eyes on him, he turned back around, pulling himself together: “Are you alright? Did Ryan hurt you?”

“No.”, he answered with a shaky voice. “I am really, really sorry, Gavin. Back then I just had to... I had to chose and it sounded so promising. Ryan wanted to talk me into being his puppet. So that he was the shadow king of some sort but this here... this here sounded so right. I was going insane for not being punished! I had kil-”

“It's alright.”, he interrupted his friend. “We'll talk later. We have a lot of time to talk so let's get you out first.”

“That's alright with me.”, Michael replied with a shaky smile.

“Can you do it?” He retrieved his hand to offer the key to the prisoner: “I can't reach the shackles, just don't let it fall.”

“I won't-”

“Gavin!”, the panicked voice echoed through the dungeon and both of them turned their heads towards it. “Gavin, come here!”

“Ryan?”, the jester mumbled, not able to add that high voice to the man.

“It might be a trap.”, Michael reminded him slowly, but sounded uncertain with his own words.

“Gavin, it's Ray!”

“I'll be back!” The words left his mouth before the jester had realized it as he got to his feet. Collecting himself for a moment, he took the rapier and placed it within Michaels reach: “Just to be sure when something happens.”

“Got it. You'll be safe, too.”

Nodding, Gavin hurried away, finding the vagabond already on the way back to him.

“What's wrong?”, he asked right away, surprised when Ryan grabbed him by the arm, dragging him on.

“Ray got out of the Nether, so what's his gift?”

“I helped him get out, I don't think he has one because he didn't made it out alone.”

“Then explain this to me.” They reached the dented wall but the smell of blood was gone. Taking a deep breath, Gavin braced himself to look at his dead friend, finding a surprisingly peaceful sight.

Rays eyes were closed and his body covered with something like red silk. It was only when the jester stepped closer that he made out the hundreds of petals, blocking the view of his broken bones.

“What is that?”, he asked slowly.

“I imagine it's his gift.”

“Flower petals?”

“Gavin, look closer. The blood has vanished.”

It had. Suddenly, he felt lightheaded, swaying a bit back and forth as the realization hit him. Swallowing, he didn't dare to trust his judgment.

“He's healing?”, he asked carefully, trying to brace himself for a disappointment.

For a moment Ryan didn't answer as he stepped towards the body, making petals swirl out of his way before he crouched down. Inspecting Ray with careful touches, he fished out an old key from his pocket, before waving the jester towards him.

Nervous, Gavin came closer, watching as Ryan pointed to the shattered hand. The bones were moving under his skin, getting back into the right place.

“This might be more than healing.”, he mumbled, before standing back up. “Regeneration maybe.”

“Ray will get better?”, Gavin asked slowly, shakily stepping back while he reached for his hurting forehead. Was it real? Was that happening? His brain had a hard time keeping up.

“It looks like it.” Ryan eyed him carefully, coming closer: “Are you feeling fine? You look terribly pale.”

“Ray will live? He is going to be alright?”

“Yes. In a few ho-”

Gavin didn't even listen further. He had confirmed his suspicion. Ray would live. Michael would live. He was alive.

The three of them were going to be back together.

The jester wasn't sure what happened next, because his body felt strange and numb, like he was slipping to sleep. Right now he didn't want to. He wanted to stay awake. What if this wasn't reality at all? What if he was actually moving into the next one?

“Ryan...”, he said but wasn't sure if he really did. His tongue felt too heavy to move, so how could he be sure? Also there was this static noise, blending any answer out. And then he rolled up his eyes and was gone.

 

He came back to his senses slowly, actually too tired to be awake but knowing that he should. Someone was screaming.

Blinking, he first saw the dark and sad ceiling over him, before his eyes focused on Ryan, who looked like he had seen a ghost. The vagabond was talking to him, shaking him violently.

It was then when he realized that he was on the floor, screaming his own lungs out with tears streaming down his face. There was a second were he wasn't sure why his mind was in that state of panic but then he remembered that Ray was alive and Michael was alive and he was alive.

And it sounded too good to be actually true and he would slip away soon. Or someone would die again and he was going to be left alone. Desperate, he grabbed Ryans arm, trying to tell him to keep him here but there were no words left, only the burning panic.

He couldn't think but it somehow came to his attention that he couldn't see either Ray nor Michael so maybe he was already in the next reality? Maybe he had already lost them again?

His scream got louder and suddenly his hands were empty and Ryan was gone, too. Covering his eyes, he threw his head against the floor, his back arching away from the ground as he took a shaky breath, only to start again right away.

No, no, no! He needed to go back! He needed to go back to sleep or he needed to wake up, he wasn't sure anymore. Just back, back, back!

Someone wrapped their arms around him, pulling him into a sitting position before taking hold of his head. A voice called his name but he couldn't hear them or maybe he didn’t want to. It was only when his hands got torn away and he blinked through his tears, he was able to recognize Michael.

Still he needed to make sure, letting his wide eyes roam over the familiar face. Making sure the color of the iris was right and that every freckle was still there before his scream broke into a sob.

The warrior pulled him close, muffling the noises with his shoulder as he cradled his friend. Gavins hands found his back, clawing for a hold like a drowning man.

Michael was here, Michael was real, Michael was alive.

With a trembling breath, he took in the familiar scent, feeling how his head calmed down. Listening to the sweet mumblings in his hear, which weren't words quiet yet but didn't have to be, as well as feeling one hand in his hair, the other rubbing his back soothingly, the panic faded.

“R-ray..?”, he asked, too scared to look.

“He will be alright.”, Michael replied. “He's alive. We all are.”

Whimpering, Gavin slumped against the warrior, too exhausted to even keep his eyes open. He felt way too safe and comfortable anyway.

Burying his face in the chest of his friend, he could even feel the heartbeat. Smiling to himself, he didn't even care when someone put something on his head. He knew it was the crown and that it felt heavy and was too big for him.

He didn't even mind it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed it~  
> I'm actually a bit proud of this chapters - so please tell me what you think? =D


	11. King Gavin 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some things had changed and reminded him that it wasn't the same as before. The green color of the Ramseys painted the banners again but was highlighted with silver instead of gold and of course the biggest change greeted him when he stepped through the door, entering the throne room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being late with this! Exams are next week and I was learning and stuff. On the other hand; it was King Gavin so it's bound to be late, amIright?

11\. King Gavin

 

_Wait; I know it's not too late._

_Even though the innocent is scarred there's still tomorrow._

_I could just escape and dream about a sentimental vision._

_A vision I could feel._

 

Ray had gone back to the same old routine he had missed so dearly. Waking up, getting dressed in his uniform, grabbing something to eat and heading towards the throne room.

It helped him heal in some strange way, giving him an illusion that things were getting better, even though he didn't dare to trust just yet. Some things had changed and reminded him that it wasn't the same as before. The green color of the Ramseys painted the banners again but was highlighted with silver instead of gold and of course the biggest change greeted him when he stepped through the door, entering the throne room.

Gavin spun around at the sound, shooting him a big grin immediately. “Morning, Ray!”, he chirped happily.

“Morning, Gav. Are you excited?”

“Damn right I am!”, he actually clapped his hands before turning back towards the window. The knight watched him with a small smile.

It felt good to see him cheerful again, even though it was mostly an act. It grew more real with each passing day and he loved watching this development, knowing it was also affecting him.

It had been nearly three weeks since he had tried to kill Ryan. He could remember waking up, seeing Michael next to him and knowing for sure that he was dead. But the warrior had leaned against the wall, with eyes barely kept open, pressing a sleeping Gavin tightly against his chest. Gavin with a crooked crown on his head. Ray had quickly lost his consciousness after that, waking up in the company of a doctor next, getting food and water. The third time he woke up, he was greeted with a weight on his chest.

Now he walked up to his king, also looking out of the windows. Maiden were running around quickly, the guards had been doubled and were actually paying attention. Ray had made sure of that.

The door opened behind him and the knight frowned when Ryan walked in.

That was also a change. The moment he had found out that Gavin had kept the Vagabond in the castle, he had refused to rest another day. What made it worse was the fact that the king had chosen his friend as his knight – and Ryan as his counselor.

Fierce discussions with Gavin still didn't make him understand his reasoning but as he had no way to change the choice, he could at least keep an eye on both of them.

“Good morning, Ryan!” With fast steps, Gavin walked towards the vagabond, the heavy cloak dragging behind him. It was green but with a pattern of different shades, making it look playfully.

“Morning. You feel ready for today?”, the vagabond greeted him, nodding towards the knight, who didn't bother to return the gesture.

“Absolutely!”

“Do you want to go through your speech one more time?”

“Nah, I'll be fine!”, he brushed it off and this time both Ray and Ryan rolled their eyes. Today was the first time Gavin was going to speak in front of the crowd and as nervous as Ray had been back then, this time the king didn't seem to worry about it. He rather was excited.

Ryan had tried to talk him into making some notes, going through the whole thing a few times but mostly Gavin had refused, saying he was going to improvise.

Maybe that was for the best after all.

Ray let the vagabond handle the matter while he observed the preparations some more. Not that he actually paid attention, he still listened to the conversation in the room. If he was being honest, it was working. In a strange way Gavin as the king worked.

He had most of the citizens on his side after rumors spread everyone knew of his connection towards Geoff. He let them talk, not bothering to make their relationship clear.

Also he had banned the executions that Ray had established, sending the higher criminals to the mines and the minor ones into the dungeons. Still the criminal-rate kept low. It was too early to be sure of that, but the knight guessed it was because he actually took down the Mad King. Of course nobody of the outside knew what had happened exactly, but the wildest rumors floated around about that night.

But it was funny how that nearly erased his greatest fear; Gavin was no fighter and even with Ryan and himself to protect him, Ray had still feared for his safety. Or that he was going to make a stupid choice like Geoff, letting a challenger approach him.

Not a single one came.

They feared the new king, who had not only overtaken the Mad King but whose closest people were all survivors of the Nether. It smothered most protests before they could do so much as spark.

Ray wondered how long that was going to last. Turning around, he watched Ryan trying to reason once again with the king. It was clear that he was going to lose in the end because Gavin was just way too excited to think about his other work.

That was also a little surprise for the knight. Hearing that Ryan was going to stay as a counselor, he had feared that he was going to manipulate Gavin. Acting like a shadow king in the background.

By now he hadn't tried that but it rather looked the other way around. Ray smirked when he saw both of them settle down to play chess instead of doing their work. At least Gavin had that matter under control.

He wondered if Geoff would be proud seeing them like that.

Which reminded him that another report should come in soon. They had sent out a search party to find Jack but with no success yet.

Pondering about that, he watched silently as Michael walked in. The warrior gave him a quick glance, before lowering his eyes and standing next to Gavin. He was going to escort them to the balcony and wearing his armor with Mogar resting where it belonged, he was also going back to his usual self.

Joking about a bad move of the king, they started to bicker and Ray tried his best not to feel left out. It was his own fault after all.

Michael had come to him, wanting to talk about everything that had happened but the knight walked away, ignoring him since then. Just like he did with Ryan.

Just like the guards did with him after he had killed their colleagues. The title of the red knight still followed him but it was spoken in despise.

It was better that way, at least that's what he had decided for himself.

The joy of killing and the rage against the Mad King back then was still resting inside him and he wasn't sure where it did come from. It had been there since he came back from the Nether and sparked every time he saw Michael. It nearly burned him up whenever Ryan entered the same room.

Gavin decided to keep both of them around, so Ray held back. For the sake of the friend who had brought him back to life, he was going to endure it.

He was already looking forward when one of them was going to betray the king.

That seemed inevitable at this point.

“Ray?” Gavin took his arm and he snapped out of his thoughts. The king was tugging at him all excited: “Come on! We want to go!”

“It's not even time yet.” But he let himself get dragged along.

“I don't care! Com-”, he was interrupted when Ryan put the crown on his head with a sigh. “At least wear it when you introduce yourself as the new king.”

“Would have looked strange, if I hadn't. Thanks Ryan!”

Ray threw the vagabond a dirty look at which he just rolled his eyes when Gavin pulled at his friend, leading him into the hallway. As they walked the hand of the king never left his arm and the knight could clearly see that he was still way too thin. The bones so clearly visible under the skin.

The group reached the hall in front of the balcony without a single disturbance and when they heard the chatter of a large crowd, Gavin began to tap his feet, apparently ready to run out there right now.

It was surely that behavior which led Ryan to allow him to go out, even though it wasn't time yet. Ray made sure that Michael stayed behind to guard the door, before he followed both of them a bit hesitatingly. Seeing the large crowd again made him feel sick and nervous even if he didn't have to say a single word. His only job was to stay next to the king, letting his coat float in the wind. It was as red as ever, clearly to be seen against the golden autumn-sky, making sure to remind them exactly who he was. Making sure that they knew after all their distrust, he made it out of the Nether alive. Instead of all the men he sent there himself.

It grew quiet when the crowd noticed them and Ray could hear Gavin taking a huge breath as he saw the amount of people in front of him. But then he started to talk and whatever nervousness he had felt was gone.

His voice was smooth and loud as he told them who he was, not admitting that he had been the Prince Regent all along but saying that he had been close to King Geoffrey. That he had taken back the throne in the name of the Ramsey-Household and that he hoped to lead the kingdom in the right direction with the help of all of them.

“And of course assistance of the three former Kings by my side.”, Gavin said, pointing to both of the man beside him.

Ray couldn’t help the smirk to form at how clever worded that was. That way Gavin got rid of most of the rumors that he had just found some imposter instead of the real deal. Some people were still going to believe that but the kings word was the law.

And while their new king continued to talk about the crop and that, even after that turbulent year they had enough food to get through the winter, Ray rather concentrated on the faces of the crowd. It was fascinating how they had changed towards interest when Gavin introduced himself and now they were lively, some people talking quietly with each other over the king.

When Gavin ended his speech, he stood there unmoving, his eyes not faltering in the slightest as he waited. And when the crowd was sure that none other word was going to follow they cheered: “Long live the King! All hail King Gavin of the Ramsey-Household!”

The three of them turned their backs to the people as they entered the hall and the moment they were out of sight Gavins face broke into a big grin. Sprinting, he threw his arms around Michael, before turning towards the other two: “How was it?”

“Very good.”, Ryan replied with a proud voice. “I don't know how exactly you did it but you have them wrapped around your finger. Most of them at least.”

“You think so?”, the king beamed at his nod, before turning to his other friend. “And you, Ray?”

“I agree.”, he simply said, not noticing the shadow that crossed Gavins face at the simple words. But moments later he was cheerful again as they walked back to the throne room. Still he didn't let go of the warrior, his hand slightly shaking.

Ray observed that quietly as he walked behind the group, only getting interrupted when a guard marched towards them. Immediately his eyes scanned the man for weapons, checking if he was a threat to the king.

The guard visibly flinched under the intense stare before he rather turned towards Ryan, handing him a letter and hurrying away. The counselor opened it while walking but missed a step as he read, furrowing his brows.

Biting his lips for a moment, he folded the letter again: “Gavin?”

The king looked over his shoulder, noticing the piece of paper: “What is it?”

“They still haven't found Jack. I'm sorry.”

Looking a bit crushed, he thought about it for a moment before smiling again: “We will sooner or later!”

Ryan waited until Gavin looked forward again, before turning towards the knight, looking him straight in the eye. Ray frowned confused but took the letter when the counselor offered it.

Opening it, he skimmed over the text. It was a message from the search-party and they still hadn't found Jack, that much was true. But it didn't end there and the further the knight read the more concerned he got.

The soldiers they had sent out were far in the south by now and apparently came across some resistance. People revolting against the new king or rather his staff. Saying that they didn't want any undead demons leading their country.

Ray looked up again, finding the cold blue eyes still resting on him and the other two a bit further ahead. When Ryan saw that he was finished, he pressed his finger to his lips, gesturing him to not say a thing.

“He's the King.”, the knight whispered furiously. “You can't keep that from him!”

“I don't want to!”, Ryan responded quietly. “But he is so happy right now! At least wait until tomorrow!”

“Since when are you caring about any of us?”, Ray hissed, happy to see the slight hurt on the face of the older man.

“Just wait. Only until tomorrow. Please.”, he simply said, sounding almost like he begged and with a sigh the knight gave in.

 

“They are... resisting against the troupes?”, Gavin asked slowly. He had just finished his breakfast before Ray sat down next to him, telling him about the letter. Actually he had believed the counselor would take that part but he hadn't made a move. When the knight threw him a look, he saw Ryan stare into nothing, obviously tired and with dark bags under his eyes. There wasn't even a mocking thought in his head over that because he knew that the man must have had a rough night. Still that wasn't his problem. On his part his nightmares had calmed down and he was glad for that.

“Exactly.”, he said when he guided his eyes back towards the king. “They are hindering them in their search for Jack.”

“Why?”

“They are not happy that the people closest to you are from the Nether.”, Ray explained, giving him the letter to read for himself.

“Undead demons?”, Gavin quoted. “Is that what they see? Not survivors or even heroes?”

“Guess not, maybe we are scaring them. Most people have always believed that the Nether was some sort of fairytale or legend, this is all new for them.” Ray shrugged absentmindedly: “You should be save though if they are only going against me and Ryan.”

“And Michael.”, Gavin added after thinking for a moment. “He was declared dead and came back after all. Nobody knows that he was just imprisoned. Also I am from the Nether, too. We're all in the same boat on that.”

“They don't know that. Geoff kept it a secret.”

This time it was the king who shrugged: “Rumors have always spread like a disease. Some people have seen me come through the portal back then so there might also be some people who remember that incident. Doesn’t take much to do the math after that.”

His knight fell quiet, deciding not to push the topic any further. Rather he waited while Gavin thought about the situation, throwing a glance towards Ryan before lowering his brows in worry. The counselor was still looking tired but was at least back on his work.

Sighing, the king leaned back in his throne, closing his eyes. His hands grabbed the fabric of his green coat before he said confident: “I won't tolerate this behavior. A revolt against me and the people I trust is betrayal and I will have to punish them for that.” Raising his lids, his gaze was fiery: “Let me think some more about my options.”

“Of course, my liege.”, nodding, Ray took his usual place next to the kings side, watching over him while he tried to figure out a solution, before returning to his usual work.

When he entered the room the next morning, he found both men in the same position again. Ryan seemed a bit more lively but still tired and lacking the concentration to keep his eyes fixed at a certain point.

Gavin was still pondering but shooting more and more concerned looks towards his counselor, so Ray wasn't really surprised when a few hours later the king gave him an apologizing smile.

The knight shook his head but Gavin didn't bother talking with him about it, before he clapped his hands: “Ray, it's midday. Why don't you go and eat something already? I kinda want to have a good old game of chess with Ryan before we go.”

“No.”, Ray said immediately, his voice strained.

Ryan had lifted his head with the sound of his name, following the conversation with his eyes.

“Ray.”, Gavin simply replied, not even bothering to look at him. Huffing angrily, the knight still refused before he stomped out, knowing he wasn’t allowed to refuse the kings wishes.

The green eyes of the king lingered a few more seconds on the door, before he dragged the chessboard towards him: “Let's play, Ryan!”

It was obviously not only a game and so the man hesitated for a moment before he followed the invitation.

Gavin watched as his counselor sat down in front of him before he began immediately: “You seem tired those last days.”

“I haven't been sleeping well.”, he mumbled. “I apologize if I lacked attention.”

“Did you have nightmares?”

“As usual.”

“Is that everything?”, the king asked almost casual but his eyes noticed the small hesitation while Ryan put up the game pieces. The older one took his time to organize his thoughts, before he leaned back in his chair: “Actually I wanted to ask you something. Why exactly am I here? What do you expect from me?”

“You are my counselor! Isn't that obvious?”

“That's not what I meant.”, he sighed, waiting for the other to make the first move. “After all I have done, why do you keep me?”  
“Didn't we already have this conversation?”, Gavin asked with a smile, sending his pawn out.

“I am serious, my liege. You have wished for me to be death and barely two days later you ask me to be your counselor. I find that hard to believe.”

The green eyes wandered to Ryans face, observing him thoroughly before Gavin spoke: “I apologize for those words back then. I said them while I was being emotional and I know, that doesn't excuse my actions in the slightest but ple-”

“It's not about that.”, the counselor interrupted him but stopped himself when the king raised his hand.

“Please let me continue.”, he demanded, waiting until the other nodded. “Like I was saying; I apologize for my words back then. But after everything had calmed down a bit I finally got a chance to talk with Michael. You know, about everything that happened. And he admitted that you didn't want to lock him up. That you tried to talk him out of that or to at least tell me about his plan. But in the end you listened to him because he was the King and you had sworn loyalty to him.”, Gavin laughed a bit on that. “I bet you actually wanted to propose the whole shadow king-subject to him, to ease things for him. Because to be honest, you really shouldn't have to. Michael was already doing what you told him without really noticing it, but having a deal with you would have taken some weight of his shoulders. Secondly, while thinking back about the time after Michael faked his death, you looked after me. You got me out of the dungeon, you stayed by my side when I was sick and you made sure I was eating, even forcing me to do so.” Suddenly he had a hard time staying serious because Ryan was actually blushing at this, avoiding his gaze as he kept his eyes on the chessboard. He made a simple move and Gavin reacted, moving his pawn again to give the other an excuse to focus on the game.

“Anyway, somehow I felt like I owed you for that. And I remembered that you said you didn't have another place to go.”

“I don't need your pity.”, Ryan said slowly. “If that's really the reason why you kept me I shouldn't be the counselor.”

“You asked for the reason why I kept you, though.”, Gavin reminded him with a wink. “The reason why I chose you to stay as my counselor is another.”

They played quietly for a few minutes, the king dominating the game easily because Ryans thoughts were too occupied with his words. He stopped in his tracks soon after, not even bothering to see what move Gavin did as he watched his face. The other looked up, chuckling a bit at the observing look he was getting: “Yes?”

“What was the other reason?”, he finally asked.

“I am scared.”, Gavin simply said, his voice losing its playfulness. “I am incredibly scared that I will make a mistake and ruin the kingdom. I am scared that some of the people protecting me will get hurt and I am also scared that there are people out there who are ready to kill me the moment they get a chance. If I could I would just curl up in my room and stay there.” Sighing, he added: “I can't though. There is no other person I can give the title to; Michael and Ray don't want to get back on the throne and in no offense; getting the Mad King back will just end in another catastrophe. So I have to make the best out of it. And Geoff had always said a good King needs three things.” Holding up three fingers, he began counting down: “First a shield; his knight. A knight that he trusts because he has to put his own life in his hands. That's Ray. I know that I can count on him no matter what and that he is going to stop every foe that turns on me. He is pretty eager with that, actually.” A shadow crossed Gavins face, before he lowered one finger, continuing: “Then a sword. A warrior strong enough to take down any threat before I even notice it. Obviously that's Michael. He's one of the closest people to me and I know that he will protect me at all cost. Not only from my enemies but from my own thoughts and nightmares. I am really lucky I have him.”

The king smiled at that thought, waggling the last of his fingers in front of Ryans face: “Lastly; a mirror. A person that shows me my actions and stops me from making any mistakes. Someone I can make sure will tell me the truth and not sugarcoat it, like my friends would. And that's you.” He shrugged as if all of it wasn't that big of a deal but the slight shiver in his voice gave him away: “So, why don’t you tell me what I should do about those revolters?”

Both of them fell silent, Ryan deep in thoughts staring at the chessboard not really seeing it, while Gavins knotted his hands, waiting uncertain for an answer.

When the counselor looked up, he flinched a bit under the cold eyes: “What would King Geoffrey have done?”

“Let them be.”, Gavin answered immediately. That was something he had thought about before. “And if that hadn't worked, he had asked for an discussion with them. Trying to find a compromise.”

Ryan nodded slowly but was interrupted in his thoughts, when Gavin sighed loudly: “Ryan. Please keep in mind that I am not Geoff. I asked what you would do in my place, not that you tell me what I want to hear. Give me an advice, please?”

“Fine.”, he muttered. “I would make sure to kill them. Kill all of them before more people can join.”

Gavin sat up straight on his throne, not from shock but because that was exactly what he had expected. Lowering his eyes, he observed his neatly folded hands in his lap. “Are we talking about an execution?”, he asked timidly.

“No, that would just make them to something special. Maybe make them into some kind of martyr. Don't give them that power.”

“So... I just sent out a troupe?”

“Exactly. A small but powerful one. Let them kill whoever rebels against you but show mercy towards their family and the children. That way you will look determined but fair.”

The king thought about this for a long time with narrowed eyes and tightly pressed lips, his fingers occupied with moving the chess pieces over the board without much plan behind his moves. Ryan taking the lead easily again even though his mind was still on their conversation as he wagered some of his ideas carefully.

“Alright.”, Gavin finally agreed with soft words. “I'll ask Michael who I should sent out.”

Exhaling slowly, Ryan brought up something he wasn't yet sure if he should: “Why don't you sent Michael with them?”

He had expected the fierce look he received: “No!”

“Gav-”

“I said no! We're done here!” He stood abruptly but his counselor took hold of his arm and forced him to stay in place.

“Never walk away from a game that isn't over. Please sit.” There was a trembling beneath his fingers but with a slow breath the king settled back down. The rage in the green eyes was like a fire and was still resting on Ryan, while the older man made his move. His gaze shifted towards the board, observing the situation for a moment before getting into the offensive.

“You let your emotion lead your actions.”, the counselor chuckled as he strengthened his defense. “That makes you easy to read.”

Gavin huffed but over the course of some turns his eyes softened again and as his aggressive moved faltered, he searched for Ryans eyes: “What if he gets killed?”

“Do you really think he will get killed at such an easy mission?”

“No, but wha-”, he was interrupted when Ryan raised his hand.

“This is a really easy question, Gavin. Do you trust Michael?”

“I do.”, came the answer without a second thought.

“Then sent him out. He will be incredible happy about that chance.”

“I know he will be but...”, The king let the sentence trail off, too many possibilities to finish it.

“I understand that you are concerned. But you are smothering him. Both Michael and Ray.”

Gavin fell silent. He knew that. He damn well knew that but the past months only made it worse and just thinking about not having his friend around him, safe and sound made his stomach clench in fear.

“I think... you are not scared that Michael will die out there because you trust in his abilities. You are scared that he simply won't come back.”

“But how can I be sure?”, the king blurted out. “What if he finds something more important to him? What if he leaves the castle?”

Ryan raised his eyebrows at the sudden outburst: “Are we talking about Michael Jones? That's ridiculous Gavin! He is way too devoted to just throw everything away!”

“My own parents left me!”, he yelled, standing up again. “I got out of the Nether and they didn't come! They didn't come for their own son, their own flesh and blood! So what reason does Michael have to come back? What reason would anyone have to come back to me? Not even Geoff came back!”

Frozen in shock, he stared down at Ryan before he slowly put a hand over his mouth, knowing he had said too much. Taking a step back, he hit the throne, bringing out a weak: “I'm sorry... I am really sorry, please forget I said that! Please! I-”

His counselor got to his feet slowly, like he didn't want to scare him as he laid both hands on his shoulders, forcing him to sit down: “Stay there.”

And Ryan left the room. Gavin looked after him, still surprised over his own words. That was a thing he had only told Geoff before. And that had been when he was still a child. Now he could feel the same tears as back then in his eyes and he blinked them away before anyone could see them.

That had been stupid. Very, very stupid.

The door opened again and he didn't dare to look up just yet. Still it was obviously Ryan who moved the chessboard away, before placing a tray with two cups down. Both were filled with tea, hot and steamy and Gavin took one without thinking, only to occupy his hands.

“Listen, Gavin.”, Ryan began as he sat down again. “Sometimes parents have to hurt their children.”

The king huffed at that but something in the blue eyes of the other man stopped his disbelieving words.

“Do you know that I have a family?”, his counselor asked him softly. “Two kids; a boy and a little girl.”

“No. You never mentioned them.”, Gavin answered carefully.

“True. And I would appreciate it, if you aren't going to tell anyone. I left them, too.”

“Why?”  
“To keep them from danger. There was a man, rich and important who was interested in my wife. Threatening us because he wasn't used to not getting what he wanted.” There was a grim look on his face as he remembered: “I told him to stop, I asked for help but his influence in the city was too strong and no one dared to stand by my side. So I killed him.” He searched in Gavins eyes for a judgment but didn't find one, so he continued: “They wanted to hang me for that but I fled. I barely had enough time to talk with my wife about it but she agreed. I was better not with them than dead. Also I didn't want my children to see my execution so I ran away. Both of them were too young to understand and my little girl probably won't even remember me but my son... I wonder what he thinks of me now.”

In the following silence, Gavin took a sip of his tea while he watched the other man who was too deep into his memories to notice. In the end he asked: “Where are they now?”

“Another kingdom. Pretty far away, I've been traveling a lot.”

“I could bring them here! If you want to I will sent out an escort and get the-”

“No.”, Ryan simply said, taking his own cup. “It's been years. By now my wife has already started a new life, she's strong like that.”

“But what if she found someone else? What if she married again?”

“I trust her.”, he smiled at those words. A smile warmer than Gavin had ever seen it on the man. “If she found somebody else I am happy. Falling in love with someone new doesn't mean she doesn't love me anymore, it means she moved on. And I trust her enough to choose right. If she found somebody it was the right person. And that's something you have to learn, Gavin.” He reached out, taking a hold of the kings free hand: “I am happy when she is happy. I know that she is worried about my well being but she trusts me to know I am going to make it. But she is her own person and so am I. Sometimes trust means to hurt yourself and sometimes it means to hurt the other one because sometimes you have to be selfish and at other times you have to be selfless. If each person is only one of that all the time, you will suffocate each other. And that's the moment were one of you have to decide to give themselves up or walk away.”

Gavin looked down at their joint hands, surprised by the intimate contact but it wasn't unpleasant. He even missed it a bit when Ryan gave one last squeeze before letting go.

“After all I still don't think Ray and Michael are going to leave you.”, he continued. “But they are starting to lose themselves. Mostly Ray. You noticed that, didn’t you?”

He quietly nodded, feeling the guilt in his guts. “I'm sorry.”, he whispered. “I just wanted to... I never wanted all this to happen...”

“I know.”, Ryan reassured him. “By no means I want to give you all the fault, that would be unfair. It's for the most part the Nether that makes Ray so aggressive against everyone besides you. But maybe your choice right now could ease it a bit?”

The counselor stood up again and the king watched quietly as he got the chessboard back, carefully to not move the pieces.

“Just think about that for a while. I'll get Ray before he kills me. He's still lurking in the hallways and I don't want his temper to get the best of him.” A hand hindered him to walk toward the door and Gavin looked up to him, confused by his own emotions.

“Thank you, Ryan.”, he mumbled in the end, a tint of red on his cheeks. “Also, I am really sorry about your family. If you ever change your mind I will glad-”

“They are fine.”, the counselor declared. Smiling, he reached out and ruffled the mess of hair: “Thanks for the offer though.”

 

“You called for me?” Michael walked in the throne room, nodding towards Ryan before he stood in front of the king.

Ray carefully watched the scene unmoving but couldn't help to feel a little sting when he wasn't acknowledged in any way by his old friend. That was the first time.

“It's about the rebellion in the south.”, Gavin started hesitating, giving a small look towards his counselor before he continued. “I need a troupe to sent out. The best warriors you can offer – I need them to be ready to destroy the rebels. Can you give me a list with fitting men?”

There was some sort of hurt in the eyes of the warrior but he swallowed it down, nodding instantly: “Sure. Just tell me how many you need and I'll think about it.”

“Thank you.”, Gavin mumbled timidly. He lowered his eyes and his shaking fingers curled into fists. Confused, Ray stepped closer. What had he missed?

His friend seemed to be in some sort of pain.

The warrior noticed it as well but didn't comment on it. Rather he opened his mouth as if he wanted to ask something. The question that was obviously hanging in the room.

In the end he simply said: “Alright. Is there something else? Otherwise I'll be on my way.”

As he turned away, Gavin took a deep breath and stood up: “Michael!”

“What?”

“If you... if you want to you can go with them!”, the king was forcing those words out as if he was choking on them a bit surprised that he actually managed to say them. But that was nothing against the look of utter shock Michael gave him. To be honest, Ray probably didn't look better as both of them were staring at Gavin.

“Are you for real?”, the warrior asked carefully.

And when his friend nodded a smile stretched across his face: “Really? You allow me to go?”

“If you promise to be careful and come back.”, Gavin explained but the strain in his voice slowly faded upon seeing the spark in his friends eyes.

“I promise! Of course I will!”, laughing, he wrapped his arms around Gavin. “Thank you! Thank you so much! That's why you are my boy!” His hold was so strong that the kings feet left the floor for a moment but it were Gavins hand that clutched the tightest onto his friend as if he wanted to force him to stay.

Ray watched him burying his face into Michaels neck as the king composed himself before he stepped back, forcing a smile on his face. The warrior still held him on his arms, noticing the mask immediately and hesitated: “Are you really sure, Gav? If you want to I can stay. It's not that important.”

“It is for you.”, he mumbled. “So please prepare and take with you whoever you trust. You guys will be sent out as soon as possible.”

 

After that things happened fast. Michael had chosen seven other warriors to follow him by the end of the day and three days later they were ready to head out. It was obvious how terrified Gavin was by the speed everything was happening but he stayed true to his word.

The night before Michael was going to leave, he was in the throne room, discussing mostly with Ryan about the last details. The king sat on his throne, his hands tightly locked around the armrests.

Ray himself stood by his side like always, a bit in the back to not disturb. The warrior hadn't so much as glanced at him in the past days but that didn't bother him.

Maybe it was even better that way.

Michael got to his feet, stretching a bit: “I guess that's everything. I think I should go to bed now. Tomorrow will be a long day.” His eyes traveled towards Gavin as if he was still waiting for him to change his mind but his friend only nodded.

In the morning they were going to see each other again but the king would only wish them a save and successful journey and it was going to be unpersonal and formal. This right here was their goodbye for now.

“I know it will work out just fine.”, Ryan said and the warrior turned back towards him. “You are prepared and have the best team.”

“Thanks.”, Michael replied with a smile, feeling a tint of excitement in his bones just thinking about the journey. The counselor put a hand on his shoulder, before wishing him good luck and squeezing one last time.

Turning towards the king, his friend stood up, looking pale but determined: “You'll be careful?”

“I will.”

“And you are going to make sure you will come back?”

“I promise.”

“Then there is nothing I have left to say.” Hugging the warrior tightly, Gavin sighed in his ear: “Good luck and come back in one piece.”

“As you wish, my liege.”

The king held him for a few moments longer than necessary before he stepped back, letting him go. The eyes of the warriors shifted slowly towards Ray and the knight couldn't help but lower his gaze. He hadn't expected Michael to recognize him in any way and even less to speak to him. But now he was moving towards him, obviously waiting for a reaction.

When none followed, Ray heard him sigh before two arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders. They stood silently in the awkward embrace as the knight couldn't get his arms to return the favor because he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

“Look after him while I am gone.”, Michael whispered in his ear. “And if anything happens to me, you have to stay with him and watch over him.”

Ray nodded slowly, before getting a slap against his head. “And be careful yourself! You better be in a better mood when I come back!”, the warrior grinned before he stepped back. Without waiting for a reply, he turned around and left the throne room.

 

When Ray walked through the hallways a few days later a guard caught him before he could reach the throne room.

“My lord, do you have a moment?”, he asked hesitating and with a small bow on his part.

The knight eyed him carefully, before moving on: “I don't. So keep up and spill whatever you want to say.” He didn't have the nerve to deal with some small issue right now. If he would come too late Gavin was going to be alone with Ryan and he tried to keep that from happening.

The guard fell into his steps: “There is somebody at the gate who is asking for an audien-”

“That's not my problem. Don't run to me because Michael isn't around. He left somebody in charge, so let him handle that.”

“Jones left me in charge, Red Knight.”

Ray looked over his shoulders and tried to remember the name of the guard. He had seen the man before, had even talked with him but he couldn't put his finger on it: “So why do you bother me? Tell him to leave; there won't be any audience with King Gavin if he is not invited. If he refuses to go kill him. It's as easy as that.”

“My Lord, I fear I haven't been clear. He wants to see you, not the King.”

Surprised, the knight stopped in his tracks before turning around: “Me? Who is it?”

 

Ray raced over the courtyard and started to yell upon nearing the guards: “Open the gate! Let me through!”

They followed the instruction immediately and he slipped through the moment he fitted, stumbling out of the castle a bit sloppily. That was the last thing on his mind when he saw the familiar figure in front of him and he couldn't help but laugh loudly: “Jack!”

The man looked up and a smile formed on his face: “Ray!”

Not hesitating for a second, the knight threw his arms around the former counselor, feeling a crushing weight leaving his shoulders. Having Jack back meant security. Having Jack back meant a person he could trust.

Burying his face in the chest of the larger man, he laughed again, feeling tears of happiness in his eyes. He hadn't been filled with so much hope since he had seen Gavin in the Nether.

“You're alive.”, Jack sighed relieved. “I heard the weirdest rumors, you wouldn't believe half of it. But you are alright.”

“I am fine! But what about you? We searched everywhere for you!”

“It's a long story.” Gently shoving the younger man away from him, he examined him closely. Ray let him, to ecstatic to care even in the slightest. Only when Jacks face crumbled with worry the knight frowned.

“What happened to you?”, the blacksmith asked with a low voice, cupping the others face. “Are you sure you are alright, Ray? You look...” Seemingly at the loss of words, he moved his hands to ruffle the dark hair of the younger man: “I am sorry. It was me who left you with that burden. We have a lot of things to talk about, it seems.”

Ray nodded slowly, before giving him a small smile again: “Why don't you come in and greet Gavin? I'm sure he wants to see you!”

 

The king looked up when the door was ripped open, searching for mocking words because Ray had overslept when he saw the man in question stumble in. He never came to speak them when he saw the larger figure following.

Gavin was on his feet but Ryan was still faster, grabbing him before he could move more than two steps. Not that he minded that: “Jack!”

“So it's really true.”, the bearded man said amused, his voice as deep and full as ever. “I couldn't believe the rumors without seeing it for myself but it is really you on the throne.”

He moved closer but noticing the big battleaxe on the others back, Ryan stepped in front of the king a hand on his sheath. Jacks eyes shifted towards him before he stopped in his tracks. Slowly he got on one knee, bowing his head: “Long live King Gavin.”

“It's alright, Ryan.”, Gavin mumbled while gently guiding his counselor to the side. Finally able to pass, he stepped towards Jack: “I am so glad to see you again!”

“I apologize for not being here, my liege.”, the man said quickly. “I waited so long for King Geoffreys return but when the rumors about you as the new King spread to me, I couldn't resist and see for myself.”

Gavin felt his mouth go dry but he still managed to ask: “Have you been waiting there all this time?”

“In hope to find Geoff.”, Jack agreed.

The king saw the dark shadow crossing Rays face as he heard the obvious lie and felt his own pain all to clear. But he still clung to the hope of an explanation. There had to be one.

“We have a lot to catch up on.”, he said instead, smiling when the man got back to his feet, towering over him. “I missed you.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My beta asked me if he should trust this peace - I wonder?  
> Anyway I hope you guys liked this chapter! (Team Love and Stuff; I waited so long for a fluffy scene with them, d'aw)  
> The song is "Far From Over" by Rev Theory; it's amazing so go and check it out!  
> (And I wonder who is your favourite chara? I asked some people and I got so many different answers; I really want to know now!)  
> See you guys next week!


	12. King Gavin 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He hunched over, burying his face in his hands. Still his eyes shone through the gap between his fingers, as he whispered: “What if whatever I brought from the Nether wasn't Ray? What if it's just a thing acting like him? What if the real Ray is still in there?”

12\. King Gavin

 

_This time I won't go softly_

_Refuse to simply fade away_

_Still holding on 'cause this is far from over_

 

Ryan marched through the hallways, the guard who had dared to wake him in the middle of the night right behind him, trying to catch up. If he wasn't so worried he would be pretty mad to be disturbed at such a late hour but to be honest he hadn't slept anyway.

Opening the door towards the throne room, he walked in, giving the guard a sign to stay out. The man was obviously relieved to get away from the former Mad King.

“What are you doing here, Gavin?”

The king flinched, shocked to see a familiar face at this time of day: “Wha-? I give this right back. What are you doing here?”

“Well, a guard alerted me that your highness refused to stay in his room and rather decided to go back to work without anyone to protect him, besides two guards which are standing outside the door.”

“So what?”, Gavin snapped back at him. “If I remember correctly you and Ray used to do that all the time!”

“Me and Ray are both fighters and can watch out for ourselves!”, Ryan countered, before sitting down with a huge sigh. He rolled his eyes when the king pointed to the bow and arrows resting against the throne: “We both know that you can maybe shoot one arrow until an intruder is standing right before you.”

“I bet I can shoot two!”, Gavin replied, sticking his tongue out. “And now go back to bed.”

“Not unless you go as well.”

“Didn't know you swing that way Ryan.”, the king teased, chuckling a bit when his counselor groaned over the bad joke. “Why did they even wake you? Ray is my knight.”

“The guards don't trust Ray anymore. Not after he killed their comrades back then.”

“They attacked him! It was self defense!”, Gavin hissed, the light mood vanishing.

“That's what he told you, mh?”, Ryan muttered quietly before nodding. “I guess they did.” Feeling the burning look on him, he decided to change the topic: “So what are you doing here in the middle of the night? Did you have a bad dream?”

The eyes of the king widened a bit, before he let out a laugh that lacked any humor: “It's actually kind of funny. You see, since Michael left I haven't dreamed of the Nether.”

“You dream of him?”

Nodding slowly, he exhaled loud before he admitted: “Tonight I dreamed that he was killed. It was Ray and he had so much... fun. It was disgusting. The worst was that he had the same look in the eyes he wears nowadays when you or Michael enter a room. Like an animal ready to attack.”

He hunched over, burying his face in his hands. Still his eyes shone through the gap between his fingers, as he whispered: “What if whatever I brought from the Nether wasn't Ray? What if it's just a thing acting like him? What if the real Ray is still in there?”

“I don't think that's the case, Gavin.”, Ryan muttered slowly. “But I understand your worries. Mind listening to a theory of mine?”

“You always have one of those, don't you?”

“I've been known for that, yeah.”, he smirked and when Gavin saw it, he couldn't help but return it. Running a hand through his hair, he sat back up: “Fine. Whatever keeps my mind away from these strange thoughts is absolutely welcome.”

“I told you about Edgar, do you remember?”  
“The demon you contracted.”

“Exactly. I've been thinking for some time about that and I think that every gift that survivors get are actually those demons we have a deal with.”

“Like my fire? But I never... it never had a form like yours.”

“Maybe just a different sort of spirit.”, Ryan shrugged. “But what I am trying to say is that those spirits are still with us. We made a deal with them and for that we were allowed their power. It would be easier to prove this theory with the help of Ray because you don't have any memories but I remember hearing... a lot of voices with a lot of questions.” His words had become hesitating and when Gavin locked eyes with him, he saw the deep fear of that place in them.

“I remember those.”, he admitted quietly. “I don't think someone is able to forget that. Voices without a body, speaking in your own head. It's like not knowing which are your own thoughts and what not.”

Ryan nodded: “I think those are the demons offering their gifts. There are so many with different powers and everyone will sell for whatever their heart desires at one point or the other. And with the stress of being in the Nether it's no wonder that we gave in.”

“Are you afraid of the dark?”, Gavin muttered slowly.

“Excuse me?”

“Are you afraid of the dark?”, he repeated, letting a small flame appear in his hands. “That's what the voice in my head always asks. After what you just said it actually makes sense, doesn't it? Fire is the only light source in the Nether, so the demon gave me the control over it. Because it had been my wish back then.” Folding his hand into a fist the flame disappeared: “What was your wish?”

“Do you want the strength of an army?”, Ryan quoted, before he shrugged. “What do you think?”  
“I think you are right.”, the king agreed. “But what did we sell in return? What was our part of the deal?”

“I'm not sure. My hope is, that it was to act as an container of some sort. I guess they can't escape the Nether otherwise.”

“I see.”, Gavin fell quiet, organizing the thoughts in his head to make sure he understood everything. Breathing out, he asked: “So your theory about Ray is..?”

“His demon might be too strong. We saw his gift and what it could do and we don't know its limits.”, Ryan explained eagerly. “So it is Ray that is with us but a good part of it is also that demon and he might taint your friends mind.”

“No no.”, shaking his head, Gavin interrupted him. “That can't be. I was a child and I haven't had problems controlling the demon. Ray is way stronger!”

This time it was the counselor who refused to speak until he wagered his words carefully. Making a decision, he spoke up: “Or it could be because he didn't step through the portal himself. I'm sure it will just take him some time.”

“I hope you are right.”, he mumbled, before relaxing into the cushions. Letting his eyes close, he sighed exhausted while rubbing his temples.

“Gavin? Can I ask you something?”

“Mh?”, came it back sleepily.

“Do you trust Jack?”, Ryan asked carefully, watching as the green eyes opened. “He said that he waited for Geoffrey all this time but when I got out of the Nether he wasn't there.”

“He hid from you.”

“Then why didn't you see him when you got Ray out?”

“He was in the city around that time. Getting some supplies for Lindsay.”

His counselor gave him a skeptical look and the king shrugged: “Those are the explanations Jack gave to Ray. I know those are lies and even though I don't know why he feels the need to lie to us, I trust him.” He smiled a little at that thought: “He's the closest to Geoff since I can remember. Even long before I was taken here and I've known him as long as Geoff. So yes; I trust Jack. I trust him with my life.”

“Alright.”, his counselor nodded. “That's all I needed to know.”

 

When Jack entered the room in the morning he stood still as he saw the king curled up on the throne. Asleep, with his head lying on the armrest and a heavy red coat wrapped around him to keep the cold out.

Ryan was still sitting next to him, his tired eyes unfocused on some documents, probably because he was too occupied with his fingers stroking through Gavins hair as if he was petting a cat.

He looked up, retrieving his hand immediately when he noticed the other man: “Good morning.”

“Morning.”, Jack replied and awkward silence engulfed them when there was no cheerful voice starting a conversation right away. In the end Ryan pointed towards the softly snoring king: “He fell asleep maybe an hour ago and worked all night. Maybe we should let him rest a bit more.”

“His nightmares have come back, right?” It wasn't even a question when the tall man sighed: “He had the same haunted look in his eyes these past days as back when he was a child. Thanks for staying with him, he usually gets incredibly scared because of them.”

Ryan simply nodded and even when Jack went up to him and took his reports, he didn’t argue with it. Knowing that he was too tired to work anyway and that the other was more than capable to do so. His eyes looked up when the man stayed right in front of him, flickering briefly to his waist. Today Jack had exchanged his battleaxe with smaller ones that were easier to handle in the closest space. Maybe he was even able to throw them.

“Tell me something, Vagabond.”

“Ryan.”

“As you wish. How much do you know about Gavins past, Ryan?”

For a moment the counselor hesitated, not sure if Gavin would be alright with him simply spilling his secrets. On the other hand Jack had been there together with Geoff.

“I think I know all of the main points.”, he said finally.

Jack slowly nodded, his eyes wandering from him to the king and back: “I see.” He moved to the other side of the throne where he settled down. Ryan tried to not think too much about that exchange, he was sure the other man was also just trying to find out who he could trust.

Dropping the gaze back to the king, he sighed while rubbing his face: “Now that you are here, do you mind if I go to bed? Just for a few hours?”

“No, go ahead.”, the blacksmith muttered, watching when the other man stood up and headed out of the room. He left his coat with Gavin.

Deep in thoughts, Jack leaned back in his chair, considering to call Ray in. Since he had come back they had made sure that two of them were always around the king, giving the third person a free day. That was a condition Gavin himself had set and Jack knew the knight would be more than willing to be here and watch over his friend. Ray usually spent his free days mindlessly wandering through the castle, before he settled for some training. It was as if he had lost his purpose whenever he didn't work.

So Jack decided against it, knowing it was better for all of them. Ryan was going to be back in a few hours, the blacksmith knowing him well enough by now to be sure of that and Ray maybe found something to do with his freedom. Also Gavin was going to get mad at him if he resisted his words.

So it was easier to work in the comfortable silence, knowing he was going to get most things done that way.

It wasn't until the sun already rose high when a messenger delivered him a letter, making him wake up the King. His lids fluttered open and he managed a small smile when he recognized the man above him: “Hey Jack.”

“Hey buddy. You're awake?”

The king sat up with a nod, watching the red coat slip from his shoulders quietly, while he rubbed the sleep from his face.

“I got a letter from the field.”, Jack began and those words were enough to let a spark ignite in Gavins eyes.

“From Michael?” He took the letter hastily, scanning above it with a big grin: “They are on their way back! And nobody was seriously wounded! That's fantastic!”

“And consider that the letter was probably sent a few days ago; they should be pretty close by now.”

“That's amazing!” Jumping to his feet, he had to move around to get the sudden energy out of his system. It fitted perfectly! He had planned a little festival, only unofficial because of Jacks return but now he could also let the soldier participate in it! He could even do it in their honor!

But the best was still that Michael was coming back and he was safe! His worries had been needless and it had actually worked out!

Spinning around, he faced the other man with a huge grin: “Isn't that great! I can't wait until they are back!”

 

He was in no way patient enough to wait for the return. They didn't get any new messages in the next day and knowing that Michael could step through that door any time now was a form of torture.

So Gavin spent the days trying to focus on the preparations of the festival but most of the work was still done by the three other men as he was way to excited to work properly.

To be honest it really depended on whoever was with him. When it was like today and Ray and Ryan were around him, it was hard to concentrate. The not really hidden ill-will made the air heavy.

He preferred it more when it was Jack and Ray. It made him think about the old times when it had been those two, him and Geoff. But sometimes the nostalgia made him sad because even though they still joked and laughed it wasn't the same as before.

The best option right now was with Jack and Ryan. Their conversations were awkward and forced at the beginning but it had eased up and for most of the part they just stayed quiet.

Right now he tried to ignore the evil glares that were shot towards Ryan, as the counselor sat down to play a quick game of chess.

Ray was getting ridiculous with that.

Sighing, the king rolled his eyes because of the childish behavior but at least Ryan seemed to be a little amused by it. Before they could begin their match the door opened and Jack walked in with huge step.

Gavin was looking up immediately, feeling his heart speed up: “Are they back?”

“Sorry. They are not.”, the man apologized sheepishly for getting his hopes high. “But I finished something and wanted to show it to you.”

“What is it?”

“Something that suits a King carrying the name of the Ramsey-household.”, Jack said before revealing the crown that he had hid behind his back. Gavin got on his feet and stepped closer to get a better look on it, his eyes sparkling: “It's so beautiful! Jack you outdid yourself again!”

“Put it on so I can see if it fits.” But the king simply held it in his hands, making sure to take every detail in. The crown was made out of silver which created an entwined loop around his head that looked like small flames. The whole theme of it seemed to be fire because there were four bigger flames all around it, each of them with a green jewel in the middle, resembling his chosen colors.

His fingers traced the small twirls in the fire, feeling the smooth surface before tossing his old crown carelessly to the throne. Figuring the biggest flame was going to his forehead, he put the new one on.

With a trained look, Jack took hold of it, shifting it a bit here and there before he nodded: “What do you say? Does it fit? Is it too tight?”

“It's perfect!”, Gavin assured him, turning towards the other two who had watched silently. “What do you guys say? Jealous?”

“Actually a bit.”, Ryan admitted. “I get the feeling you didn't put all your mastery in my crown when you worked on it, Jack.”

The blacksmith shrugged: “Sorry for that. Please don't get the idea I will make another one for you.”

“But if I get back on the throne..?”, the counselor suggested with a smirk, watching amused when Gavin gasped playfully.

“I liked mine more.”, Ray mumbled.

“Of course you did!”, the king snorted. “It was perfect for you!”

“Yeah well you asked! And this one clearly lacks red!”, but the knight couldn't keep his smile while he said that and laughing Gavin turned back towards the blacksmith.

“Don't listen to him! I love it – thank you so much, Jack!”

“It's nothing. That simple crown just didn't fit you.”, he shrugged. “Also it's been so long, I feared I lost my touch.”

“Well you certainly didn't!”, the king assured him proudly.

They were still chatting when the door behind them was opening and a guard stepped in: “We have a messenger from the field here who wants to talk to your highness.”

For a moment Gavin could feel the fear smothering him. Why would they sent someone out now? Did something happen on the way back?

But before he could say anything the guard got shoved out of the way: “Believe me. It's absolutely fine for the King and I bet he wants to see me.”

Michael barely managed to step in before Gavin had already thrown his arms around him, holding him close: “You are here! You did come back!”

“Of course I did.”, the warrior snorted. “The other soldiers should be coming in by tomorrow. They wanted someone to sent ahead and inform you of that and I thought it would be a nice surprise.”  
“It is! It is!”, the king agreed, before stepping back. “And you are not hurt?”

“Well.”, holding up his arm, he revealed a nasty cut that had been closed with huge stitches. “They patched me up quickly but it might become a scar. Isn't that awesome? A real battle scar!” Michael laughed at the shocked gasp from his friend but then he turned his attention to the other people in the room and carefully stepped forward: “Jack? Is that you?”

“The one and only. Seems we barely missed each other.”, the bearded man chuckled.

Gavin watched when the warrior walked towards the blacksmith, they both starting to talk on the spot. He watched when Michael showed of his wound and he watched when he sat down with Ryan and Jack to discuss the mission.

He also saw that Ray tried his best to ignore the other person in the room, obviously uncomfortable. So that was still a crack that needed to be filled.

But besides that they were healing. They were healing and they were mending.

And Gavin realized that he was happier than he had been in a long time.

 

The festival started the day after the troupe had arrived and granted everyone two free days. The king made sure that there were different activities to join and a huge feast for everyone. All in all he wanted to recreate the festivals he had loved as a child so much.

He was succeeding, even if he couldn't join.

He was present, they had set up a podium where he could sit and watch over the crowd but he wasn't allowed to leave it. Safety measures by Jack.

Of course the blacksmith was right but Gavin still felt depressed just sitting there for the whole evening, not able to enjoy the real fun. At least he wasn't alone; at all times two of his friends where next to him, guarding him if anyone got too close.

On the first day Ray and Jack were with him and even thought they laughed while they watched the other people, Gavin couldn't deny his longing. It vanished when it got quieter and Jack began to tell them old stories of their childhood they had already forgotten.

The second day Michael and Ryan were with him, giving the other two the opportunity to enjoy the festival. The warrior didn't really help when he told his king all about his little adventures from the day before, swearing he had seen a kid dressed up as him.

Whining, Gavin had told him to shut up and with a chuckle his friend actually listened to him. It was quiet for the longest time until the king noticed the looks Michael was giving Ryan.

It didn't take long until the counselor sighed: “Fine.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you got me. Stop staring at me.”

“What's going on?”, Gavin asked as he watched the exchange between the other two. It wasn't until Michael turned towards him, a mischievous smile on his face when the king started to get excited. That meant something good.

“Get up!”, his friend said, before pulling him out of his seat anyway, leading him from the pedestal and in the shadows behind it.

“What's going on?”, the king asked again, now looking over to Ryan who was quickly following them. The older man took his crown, before he faced Michael: “An hour. Not a minute more.”

“I know, Rye.”, the warrior sighed as if he had heard that sentence many times before.

“Guys?”, Gavin asked again but let his friend take off his coat without a struggle.

“And you stay with him at all times!”

“Ryan, you start to sound like my mother. I swear to god you better stop that!”

Shaking his head, the counselor stepped up and poked Gavin in the chest: “You listen to Michael and don't do anything reckless!”

The green eyes lit up as he finally got it: “Are you guys for real?”

“Damn right we are.”, throwing an arm around the kings shoulders, Michael leaned against him. “The King takes an hour to rest his tired bones to be back with his folk as soon as possible. Meanwhile you and me go and have some fun! We're missing out, Gav! You organized this whole thing! Pretty shitty when you don't get an opportunity to check it out, right? Also I get boring just sitting there.”

With a big grin, the king looked towards Ryan: “Is that alright? Can I go?”

“As long as you agree to my conditions. Michael is there to protect you and if you get the feeling you are being followed you get right back here!”

“You are the best, Ryan!”

“Damn right you are, Rye-Bread!”

The counselor sighed at their happy faces, before he turned away to get back to his post: “Just don't make me regret this.”  
“Never!”, Michael promised, before pulling out a small bag from under the podium. “Here are some of your clothes. Wear them so that they don’t recognize you.”

The king changed quickly and they headed off, stepping into the crowd shortly after. They discussed what to do first to get the most out of the short time they had and decided to go for the prizes. There had always been many booths with different games to play but it had been Gavins idea to give each winner a small prize. A wooden block that had been painted gold and could be exchanged for bigger prizes at the end.

“I'm going to get the biggest tower of them all!”, the king promised but his friend just smirked. “I bet I'm better than you at every game.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“It certainly is!” Giggling like little children they began their little contest. Some challenge was to brew a potion – which was just different colored water and still both of them failed at it, even thought their contestants were smaller kids – after that they found a booth where they had to build twelve different towers – Gavin nearly won that one but knocked his tower down in the last minute – then they went fishing, both trying to get the rare, golden fish.

After loosing for the most part, Gavin wanted to go into the maze but seeing that Michael couldn't leave his side, there was no way to decide who would win. So after the warrior also refused to challenge him in the bow shooting contest, they slowly walked through the mass of people.

“Time is running out. Anything else you want to do?”, Michael asked, his hand tightly locked around the others arm to not lose him in the crowd.

“Let's not make Ryan mad. How about we get our prizes and head back?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Turning on their heels, they went back to the beginning of the festival, finding the booth where they could exchange their blocks. Scanning over the list, Gavin groaned: “You need at least four blocks to get something? I only got three!”

“Those are your own rules, dumbass!”  
“Well I didn't think someone was going to get less than that...”, he admitted sheepishly. Laughing, Michael got his own blocks out, trying to decide what he should get. But it was Gavin who poked his side: “Let's combine our blocks and we can get gingerbread!”

“I don't really like that.”, the warrior frowned. “Also it's probably really small and we would have to share.”

“No we don't!”

 

Hurrying back towards the podium at the edge of the festival, Gavin quickly changed back in his previous attire, while his friend whistled to get Ryans attention. The man came towards them, observing them closely: “Everything alright?”

“Everything went according to plan!”, Michael nodded.

“And we are on time!”, Gavin chirped, putting on his coat.

“Did someone recognize you?”

“No! We did good, didn't we?”

Snorting, the counselor revealed the silver crown but was interrupted when Michael pulled out a small gift from his pockets: “That's for you!”

“What is it?”

“Gingerbread!”, Gavin explained eagerly. “We won it for you!”

“Yeah, because Jack would have never allowed us to go onto the festival!”, the warrior added.

For a moment Ryan just stared at their flushed faces as they were looking up to him with a sparkle in their gaze, smiling proudly and waiting for a reaction. There was a tint of sadness in his blue eyes before he shook his head. Putting the crown on it's rightful place, he ruffled both of their hair: “You two look like five year olds.”

They laughed and with a disbelieving sight, he took the gingerbread: “Thank you. And now get back up there.”

 

“Oh.” Michael had wanted to sit on the old roof, even thought it might be a strange thing to do but the sunset was bright and beautiful, tinting everything red. Now thinking about it, he should have known that he wasn't going to be alone here.

Ray turned his head upon hearing him, frowning a little at the sight.

“I just wanted to...”, the warrior tried to explain but let the sentence be unfinished. “Is it alright with you if I just sit there?”

Ray mustered him for a moment, before he turned back around. He took this as a yes.

So Michael sat down, not too close but not too far. It felt unreal being in this situation. Sitting here with the person he had killed on this roof.

Maybe he should just go.

He started to consider this when he felt brown eyes on him: “What?”

“Nothing.”, the knight mumbled but didn't lower his gaze. In the end Michael asked: “Do you also feel strange simply sitting here?”

He saw how the other man tried to hold it in but Ray still snorted: “You think so? What gives you that impression?”

“Yeah, guess it's a lot more awkward for you.”, the warrior admitted, happy to at least get a reaction out of his friend. If it just wouldn't be this specific topic.

“To be honest I don't remember much of it anymore.”, the knight shrugged as if it was nothing.

“I killed you.”  
“Yeah, well that is a point that I do remember.”, Ray retorted flatly while rolling his eyes, but his amusement faded when he saw the sorrowful look on the others face.

“You don't understand, Ray.”, Michael began. “I killed you! I was there and I killed you with my own hands! Please stop taking this so lightly!” Inhaling deeply, he shook his head: “And I understand that you are ignoring me and you don't want anything to do with me anymore. Fuck, I don't want to have anything to do with myself anymore if I had the option! I just have to tell you that I am sorry and please don't just get up and leave me hanging here again. I'll go insane if I don't say it. I am sorry. If there was a way to take back my actions, even if there was a way to switch our places I would gladly do it. But I can't.”

“I'm pretty sure I wasn't innocent either.”, Ray admitted. He really didn't want to be in this position. Yes, he ignored Michael but that wasn't because he had killed him. Well, that was a part of it of course but it was just so much easier that way. He hadn't really imagined how hurtful he was being. “Listen. Just... just don't think about it too much. I am not going to say it's alright but I don't hold a grudge against you. I also don't want to get my revenge. Right now I want to do my job and keep Gavin save. It will... take some time.”

Nodding, the warrior reached inside his pocket before pulling a small item out, throwing it towards Ray: “Here. I found it and maybe you want to keep it.”

Catching, the knight snorted disbelieving: “Did you just apologize for killing me with a hair clip you found?”

“Since when are you picky? There is a red rose on it, what more are you asking for?”

Pressing his lips together, Ray really tried to hold it in but in the end he couldn't help but chuckle: “You know I never really asked but you gave Gavin these terrible golden boots, didn't you?”

“You can bet on it!”, Michael grinned with a bit of hesitation, not really trusting the light mood right now.

“I tell you something.”, Ray offered. “From tomorrow on when we see each other, how about we greet us and maybe talk for a bit? Let's take some babysteps first and I am sure... that we will work things out eventually.”

“I'd like that.”

 

“What are we doing here?”, Michael asked when they reached the tavern, blinking against the sudden dim light. It had been a bit strange when Jack had offered him to spent some time together. Not that he minded that. It was just that back when he had been the counselor, he just had way too much work to do, to have time for that. And they had been a different rank back then, seeing that Jack had been the second in command after Geoff.

“Do I really have to explain this to you?”, Jack asked chuckling. “Aren't you old enough to know what you do in a pub?”

“Well, of course. That wasn't really what I meant though.”

“Told you I wanted to talk with you about something.”, the blacksmith reminded him but took hold of his arm when the younger one wanted to head towards the bar. “Wait. I prepared something special.”

“Alright..?”, Michael mutter skeptical but followed the man up the stairs, to the few guestrooms they had. Crooking an eyebrow, he watched Jack knock on a door in a strange pattern before it was opened and both of them stepped in.

It was a trained reflex to get an overview of the number of persons in an unfamiliar place, so his eyes first went to the door. He froze in place as he saw the face, his mouth slightly open until he coughed up the name as if he had choked on it: “Geoff?”

His first instinct was to hug the person, so glad that he was back and alive. But then he remembered who he was talking to and quickly fell on one knee, lowering his head: “I am so happy to see you!”

“Stand back up, Michael.” Geoff gently placed a hand on top of his locks: “I am not your King anymore.”

Blushing a bit, the warrior stood, taking in the sight of the man in front of him. Healthy and most of all alive. “It really is you.”, he muttered before he couldn't help but smile. “You made it out of the Nether! You are back!”

“Indeed.”, Geoff chuckled, before offering him a seat at the single table in the room. “Apparently it took me some time, didn't it?”

“But that doesn't matter!”, Michael assured him quickly, before he frowned. “What are you doing here? Why are you not at the castle? I know that Gavin and Ray are dying to se-”

“Gavin and Ray aren't the problem.”, the former king interrupted him with a small hand gesture. “Let me ask you a question first. You haven't been in the Nether, right?”

“Yeah.”, the warrior murmured quietly. Unsure at where the other was heading at and also nervous as to what he was going to think of him now. “I was in the dungeons, my death was only fake.”

“That's good.”, Jack said, putting a hand on Michaels shoulder.

Geoff let go of a breath he was holding, obviously relieved: “Like I said, Gavin and Ray aren't the problem. It's the Vagabond.”

“Ryan?”, the warrior asked, noticing how the face of the man in front of him darkened while hearing that name.

“He's a threat to me.”, Geoff slowly explained. “I can't return until he is gone and I will need your help with it.”

 

There was no introduction or warning. The door was opened by Jack and by the time the knight had looked up from watching the other two play chess, Geoff was already in the room.

Gavin stood in the next second, tipping over the chessboard on his way. Ryan turned around, trying to catch him like he had done when Jack came back, but there was no way to stop him now. Ripping his arm free from the grasp, he reached Geoff and threw his arms around him without speaking a single word.

Michael entered the room as well, closing the door carefully behind him, maybe looking a bit pale. Slowly Ray also walked towards the former king, smiling when he heard a shaking laugh come from Gavin when the arm of his father returned the hug tightly.

“You are back.”, the king whispered disbelieving but it was clearly audible by how quiet it was in the room. “You came back!”

“Did you have any second thoughts about that, buddy?”, Geoff mumbled before planting a kiss on his hair. The knight came to a halt next to them and the former king looked up before giving him a smile.

Gavin didn't notice when Michael and Jack passed him, his eyes were closed when he pressed his face into his fathers chest, his arms locked around him. Geoff buried his face in his hair again nearly knocking off the silver crown, one hand holding him tight while his other held his sword loosely.

Ray noticed it though and watched how Ryan carefully stepped back, getting forced into a corner by the two man. Michael drew Mogar while walking ahead and Jack even brought his immense battleaxe with him, holding it like it weight nothing.

For the tiniest of moments Ryan and Rays eyes found each other and the knight knew that not even the former mad king could survive this. He opened his mouth to alert Gavin but remained silent in the end. Wasn't it going to be more fun to watch the futile attempts?

The counselor drew his own sword, ready to go down fighting when Geoff gently pushed the king away from him, holding him at an arm's length. Ray watched the silent exchange between both of them, feeling like he was disturbing something intimate but seeing the spark in the glossy eyes of his friend was worth it.

But then Gavin turned his head and his smile fell when he saw Jack raising his axe. It came down hard on Ryans sword and it was the enchantment that saved him, pushing the heavy weapon away and forcing Jack to take two steps back in order to keep his balance. It seemed like Michael had just waited for that opening, ducking under Jacks arm and filling the open space immediately.

“Stop!”, Gavin yelled and Mogar actually hesitated for a moment, giving Ryan the opportunity to block again.

“Stop it both of you!” The king tried to take a step but Geoff held him tight, pulling him back right away: “No! He's not the enemy! Please! Geoff I swear he-” Gavin had turned back around and froze in place. Ray did the same but still his body moved on its own, shoving the king out of the way. He was a bit too late and the sword still grazed Gavins arm before retreating.

The joy had left his face like the panic did right now, leaving him pale and in the state of shock. The knight saw it in the corner of his sight, saw how the face of his friend contorted in pain and how his eyes overflowed.

Turning on his heels to shield him from any attack, he yelled at Geoff: “Stop! What are you d-”

The older man attacked a second time and again Rays body moved on it's own, desperate to protect his vital points. It was thanks to his quick reflexes that the sharp blade missed his heart but it impaled his shoulder. He could feel the tip break through the skin on his back and for a moment everything went black as he grunted. Then Geoff ripped the sword out and he screamed in pain, his arm falling limp and useless to his side as his knees bucked and gave out.

Hitting the ground, he saw Michael just standing there, staring at them with his mouth open. His back turned towards Ryan and Jack who were still fighting.

Then Gavin was next to him, pulling at his arm and the knight tried to force the pain away. He was going to heal. It was barely a scratch and he could still fight!

Getting back to his feet, he felt shaky and it was because the hands holding him up were gone. He wanted to look for his friend but suddenly Geoff was in front of him again and he still hadn't even drawn his rapier.

“Stop!”, Gavin screamed over all the noise. He was standing next to the throne, his bow in his hands and an arrow pointed at Geoff: “Step away! All of you! Stop the fighting right now!” He turned towards the other three men but switched right back when Geoff still closed in on the knight.

“I said stop!”

“You won't shoot me.”, the oldest man simply said and Ray knew it was true. He could hear Gavins shaking in his voice when he himself slowly stepped back, a hand over his wound.

Then it went dark.

Remembering this darkness, the knight turned around in search of the big yellow eyes, feeling fear creeping up on him. That was Ryans gift and if he would let that beast simply charge through the room there was no way to avoid it.

Someone grabbed his arm and blind he flinched away, not sure who it was. But the hand went right back, pulling him with enough force so that he couldn't resist. Suddenly he was out of the black fog, blinking against the harsh light and as he looked around he recognized the hallway in front of the throne room. Ryan was dragging him along, a disorientated Gavin thrown over his shoulder as they hurried down the corridor.

The king propped himself up, gasping and drawing another arrow: “Watch out!”

A smaller axe was thrown at them and Ryan sidestepped to avoid it, so it just buried itself in the wall with a dull thud. Looking back, he saw Jack behind them and Geoff following him. Michael wasn't with them.

“Ryan!”, Gavin protested, having lost his target when the counselor had turned around. Ray didn't bother with that. Freeing his arm from the grip, he launched himself at the two nearing men, feeling the tingle of excitement that came with the smell of blood. Even if it was his own.

Grinning, he drew his rapier with his healthy hand. They had betrayed him. They had betrayed him and Gavin and now they were going to pay for that. He bet their blood was going to be one of the most beautiful shade and while he thought about it, he never had seen that of Jack. The blacksmith was reaching for his next axe but even if he would hit him, he was just going to heal himself.

Fire appeared between them and Ray came to an abrupt halt, howling lowly at the missed opportunity. “Gavin! Let me through!” he screamed. Turning around, Ryan was in his face, taking a hold of his damaged arm. Hissing in pain when he was pulled to the floor, he actually considered stabbing the older man but the counselor forced his head down before Ray could react.

The axe cut through the fire moments later, missing both of them far because they hadn't been the target after all. With a much softer noise than before it hit Gavin, the impact making him spin around and falling to his knees.

Swearing loudly, Ryan threw the knight over his shoulders to keep him from escaping again before he spurted towards the king. Taking a hold of his elbow, he dragged him to his feet before scooping him up as well.

“We have to get out of here! How do I get towards the barns?”, the counselor panted, trying to move as fast as possible with the extra weight.

Groaning, Gavin propped himself up, holding his aching side as he looked around. “Towards my room. There's a secret passage.”

“You're alright?”

“I think so.” The king looked towards Ray, who was still hunched over, not able to stabilize himself enough with only one functional arm. But he was alive.

Pale and with bloodstains over his body but alive.

“Where exactly?”, Ryan asked.

“Turn left here. Up ahead, behind that tapestry.”

“You two think you can walk?”

Both of them nodded and the counselor stopped before the passage to let them down, letting them enter before following himself. By now he couldn't see their pursuer but the fire should be burned down by now and they couldn't be far behind.

Gavin hurried ahead, a bit wobbly on his legs but it was the knight who slowed them down, his healthy arm pressed against the wall to hold himself up.

“Ray? Will you make it?” The knight turned and gave Ryan a dirty look, ready to spit some insult before his eyes rolled back and he collapsed. Gavin gasped but the counselor simply picked up the body before telling the king to move on.

They stumbled into the barns, scaring some poor stable-lads to death with their entry before they hurried towards the front part.

“Prepare mine and the kings horse immediately!”, Ryan barked, pressing Ray securely against his chest. “And if anyone of you try something funny I will sent each and every one of you into the Nether!”

For a moment none of the worker reacted but then they seemed to grasp the situation and started working. Turning towards Gavin, the counselor eyed him carefully: “Jack hit you. I saw it.”

Nodding slowly, the king revealed his side where his robe was torn and red had seep through the green.

“How deep is it?”

“I'm not sure. It doesn't hurt much.” With scared eyes, he looked up at the older man, overwhelmed with the situation: “What's with Ray?”

“Blood loss. Don't forget he will heal, it's just gonna take a moment.” Turning away, he found a young man and screamed: “You! Get me some bandages! A bag full of it, along with any medicine you can find! And you better be back before the horses are done or you will regret it!”

They watched the man run off and confused Gavin asked: “Where are we going?”

“Away. That's the plan for right now.”

“But-”

“The guards in front of the throne room were gone, did you notice? I am willing to bet that Geoff gave them orders and they followed them. He was the First King after all and we are all just copies.” He looked down to the other, who seemed terribly lost.

“Gavin. Geoff tried to dethrone you. He tried to kill us all.”

Shaking his head, the king stepped away, refusing to believe it. It was then when Grisham was guided towards them and with some hesitation he sat up.

“Can you hold him?”, Ryan asked as he carefully lifted Ray onto the horse as well.

“Sure.”, Gavin mumbled, pressing his friend close to his body as he watched the counselor climb the second horse that was brought to them. The bag with bandages arrived just in time and without any further delay they headed off, hurrying out of the city.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So firefliesburningmeup asked for Geoff and well; here he is! (also sorry Raven4138 I hope it wasn't to bad for you Dx)  
> Tell me what you guys think *-*  
> And with that we go into the final King-Chapters! I think 3 more are about to come before the story is over; so hold on some more guys!  
> The chapter next week will probably be late. I had Exams this week and was rather learning than writing but I'll try to update as soon as possible!


	13. King Geoff 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I am sorry... I tried to make it good! I swear! I never wanted these things to happen! I am really sorry!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, I am late!  
> This chapter was just delivered fresh by my beta so here we go; sorry that it took so long!  
> The next one is nearly finished so I will hopefully be able to update next weekend!

13\. King Geoff

 

_So you're feeling tied up to a sense of control_

_and make decisions that you think are your own_

_You are a stranger here, why have you come?_

_Why have you come?_

 

They had rode the horses through the forest for a few hours before Ryan halted and dismounted.

“Let's rest for a moment.”, he declared when he saw the small stream before he turned towards the other two. It was clearly needed; Ray was still unconscious and Gavin seemed to have a hard time holding him upright.

“Help me with him.” Carefully he let Ray slide from the back of the horse where Ryan took him. He carried him towards a tree, where he slowly laid him down in the grass, making sure he rested comfortably. Behind him he could hear a moan and as he turned around, Gavin was on his knees. He got back up right away, holding his side before he walked towards them.

“How are you doing?”, Ryan asked gently.

“It hurts now but the bleeding has stopped. I think.”, he mumbled through gritted teeth. “What about you? Did you get hurt?”

“Nothing serious. A few bruises and my muscles are beginning to ache – that axe has a lot of power.”, he answered before shaking his head. “But that wasn't exactly what I wanted to know.”

Standing still, Gavin stared at him before lowering his gaze. Shrugging, he replied with a sad smile: “Sometimes... sometimes parents have to hurt their children, right? For their own good...” His lips started to quiver and he bit down on them. Still a yelp escaped them when Ryan pulled at his arm, forcing him on his knees before embracing him. Surprised, the king didn't move. It was only when he felt the familiar hand stroking his hair that he closed his eyes, clutching tightly at the others back.

“He came back, Ryan.”, he whispered breathless. “He came back for me, I should be happy. I _was_ happy! What did I do wrong? Which mistake did I make?” They were rocking back and forth slowly when he buried his face in the others neck: “I am sorry... I tried to make it good! I swear! I never wanted these things to happen! I am really sorry!”

Ryan finally shushed him down, holding him close and Gavin tried to stay awake. He was tired in so many ways and right now it was warm and comfortable and while resting his head against the others shoulder he managed to shut his thoughts out. But he knew they couldn't stay long here and when he stirred, the arms around him gave him free. Giving him a last pat on the head, Ryan mumbled: “Wash your wound. I'll patch you up.”

Nodding, Gavin headed towards the stream while the counselor turned towards the knight. He took a moment for himself, taking a few deep breaths before he inspected Rays shoulder.

The skin had already closed itself but was still red and swollen. The healing was going to take a while but there was no danger right now, so he rather opened the bag the stable-lad had brought him.

Inside were bandages with a needle stuck in it, some thread as well as a few small containers with balsam. A single vial laid at the bottom with a clear liquid in it. None of it was labeled and he huffed in frustration.

He had knowledge of many things but medicine was not one of them.

“It's deeper than I had thought.” Gavin sat down next to him, his top and coat in his arms, still wet from the water. The red slash was clearly visible against his skin and it was bleeding again, probably because he hadn't been gentle enough.

“Let me see.” Scooting closer, he carefully touched the swollen skin not expecting that Gavin was going to hiss and shrink away. “Hold still.”

“Sorry.”

The gash was really deeper than he had imagined. There was a swallow part just above the kings rips but directly beneath the ribcage the axe had gone deep. It didn't look like any organs were hurt but it needed to be sewed shut.

Just that they didn't have the option to simply bring him to a doctor and wait until he would feel better. They had a needle in the bag but Ryan didn't dare to use it.

“It's bad, isn't it?”, Gavin asked when the other reached for the bandages.

“It's not deadly but quite unpleasant.”, he mumbled, showing him the different balsams. “Do you know for what they are?”

The king shook his head: “Ray knows a bit. It was part of his training, I think.”

“Good, we ask him about it later.” He began to wrap the bandages around the small form of the other: “If we keep it clean it will work out.”

“Alright.”, Gavin said but didn't sound sure at all. They had other problems to think about right now and even if it started to hurt quite bad, it was something minor.

Soon afterward Ryan urged them to move on to get as much distance between them and the castle as possible. It was only when they were slowing down to find a place to rest the night that Ray stirred a bit. Gavin gripped him tighter in case he would trash around, not expecting his friend to suddenly jolt upright. His head collided with the kings chin and both of them yelped in pain. Holding his head, Ray tried to get away while Gavin held him on the horse, his other hand wrapped around the leads, making Grisham nicker and walk in a circle.

When they finally stood still, Gavin felt Ryans amused look on them. “Ray is awake.”, the king announced needlessly while rubbing his chin. The knight steadied himself before turning to look at him: “You nearly knocked me right back out! Shit, that hurts!” He tried to sound angry but his voice was weak and he seemed to have problems holding his eyes open. It was clear that the healing had taken its toll.

“Where are we?”, came the question afterward.

“Somewhere in the wild, hopefully far from any civilization.”, Ryan explained and Ray slumped weak against his friend. Looking around, he grimaced as he remembered before he nodded: “That's good. We're save here.” Looking up, he tried to make out Gavins expression. Their eyes met for a moment before the king said: “Let's find a place to sleep.”

They did just a few minutes later, the trees were going to protect them from the worst cold and there was a clear stream nearby. Considering that they didn't have any water otherwise this was important.

By the time they had settled down, Ray had already fallen back asleep, still exhausted. He wasn't the only one; Ryan could feel his own lids getting heavy and his muscles aching. He knew his body well enough to be sure he needed some rest. So while he sent out the king to find some wood to make a fire, he tried to concentrate on making a list with what they had.

That was easy because it was a really, really short list. Even though the bandages were a great help, the saddlebags were empty besides a few lost coins. Money was important because they needed to get some supplies sooner or later if they wanted to survive in the wild for more than a few days.

Rubbing his eyes, he noticed Gavin coming back and starting a fire within seconds. He had put it close to Ray, who laid on the grass, curled up and snoring quietly.

“We need guards for the night in case mobs spawn.”, the counselor said before sitting next to the fire as well. “I don't think we can count on Ray tonight. He's out cold for now.”

“I can do it.”

“You have to.”, Ryan admitted. “I'm too tired, I need some sleep or I won't stay awake for long.”

The king nodded frantic, stopping when the hand of the other grabbed him tightly: “Gavin, this is serious. It's not only to stay awake but also to concentrate on your surroundings. And I know you want to think really badly about what happened but try not to. We discuss this in the morning.”

“Alright.”, he answered quietly.

“When you feel tired wake me up.”

“I got it, Ryan.”  
“I am serious! If I wake up and it's dawning or I find you sleeping I'll get really, really angry.”

“Don't pull that Mad King bullshit on me.”, Gavin smirked. “It's not really working anymore.”

Ryan rolled his eyes, before snorting: “Wish I'd never started caring about your bunch.”

“What can I say? We worm ourselves into your heart.” His faked smile dropped when the other man rested his hand on the top of his head: “Please... I am worried. Please try not to think too much and if you do wake someone.”

“I will.”, Gavin responded seriously and his counselor sighed. And even though he was exhausted it still took way too long to finally fall asleep because with that he didn't trust Gavin at all.

But his worries seemed to be unimportant when he got shaken awake. Still way too soon for his taste but when he crooked an eye open it was pitch dark around them and the only source of light was the fire.

“Ryan?”, the king mumbled. He looked tired and pale and quickly the counselor sat up, rubbing his face: “I'm awake, it's alright.”

“Good.” And without another word Gavin laid down next to Ray and rested his head against his chest.

It was in the early morning hours when the knight woke up. Blinking, he looked around, frowning a bit when he found Ryan but none of them spoke. He simply wrapped his arms tightly around Gavin, burying his face in his hair.

Knowing that it was now safe, the counselor went to hunt and brought back a small rabbit. Nothing much but they didn't have any option.

It was probably the smell that let the King wake up and when they all sat around the fire, still tired and hungry, he spoke first: “Why?”

Well that was the big question now, wasn't it?

“I don't have a clue.”, Ray admitted with a heavy sigh.

“I don't understand it! What reason would Geoff have to... to do that?”, Gavin asked again, a lot more angry than before. “He can have that damn crown! I don't care about that thing! I would have given it to him gladly!”

“Gav-”  
“On the other hand he always wanted me to be the damn King! And now when I am it's also wrong? What the hell is wrong with him? What was I suppose to do!”

“The Nether changes people.”, Ryan said quietly. “And maybe that's an excuse for Geoff but it is not for Jack.”  
“It is as well.”, Ray interrupted with a small nod. “Jack will follow Geoff no matter what. Maybe not without a doubt and I am sure Geoff had to convince him to do so but those two are close since... I don't know? Pretty sure before I was even born.”

“Jack was Geoffs servant since childhood.”, Gavin explained. “They grew up together and the moment Geoff became King he announced Jack as his counselor. I think it was the first thing he ever ordered.”

“They are close and a perfect team. Geoff calls him... what was it?”

“His mirror.”, Gavin said hesitantly, feeling the small look Ryan shot him. Hastily he continued: “They are deadly. They always trained together when they were younger and I wasn't going to bet that they lost their touch.” His voice wavered for a second and he took a calming breath before he added: “But... that doesn’t explain why Michael joine-”

“No.”, both men interrupted him, glancing at each other before Ray continued: “I don't think Michael knew about the plan. Or at least not all of it; probably only that they were planning to attack Ryan.”

“Exactly. His attacks were halfheartedly and after he noticed that Geoff attacked you he stopped completely. He turned his back to me and we all know he is too well trained to make a mistake like that.”

The knight silently agreed. He remembered the look on Michaels face the few seconds he had seen it. As confused and shocked as he had felt himself.

Thinking about that, the warrior might be in danger because of that.

“Really?”, Gavin breathed quietly before he let his head fall in his hands, bringing out a shaking laugh. “I'm glad... I am really glad.”

He sounded so relieved that Ryan nearly didn't dare to speak his next words: “Gavin... You are still the King. He might... Geoff might be coming after you.”

The green eyes stared at him, shocked and big: “It's not over?”

“The one who kills the King shall become the new one; that's his own rule.”

“No! I don't- he can have the throne! I don't care!” Getting to his feet, Gavin was striving around, shaking violently. “What else does he want from me? Let him have this kingdom! Let him have everything! I don't care! Now he wants to hunt me down? Now he wants to hunt you down? Just because you are with me?” Taking a hold of his crown, he threw it carelessly away before walking off: “Fuck this!”

Ryan made an attempt to stand up but the knight next to him shook his head: “Don't. Give him a few minutes.”

“Are you sure?”

“Trust me on this, I know him longer than you. He's trying really hard to act like this doesn't concern him, let him be alone for a moment.” Ray took a deep breath like he was preparing himself before he turned towards the other man: “So what's your plan? I know you have one.”

“First of all we need supplies.”, Ryan replied immediately. “Otherwise we won't survive out here and simply staying in a village is impossible. Even if Geoff doesn't hunt us, he will at least have guards look out for us. I hope the news haven't spread by now and we can buy the things we need today. We don't even have a blanket of any sorts and the nights are only getting colder. Also we need something to store some food and water in. Just the most basic stuff.”

“Alright but then we should act as soon as possible before the guards hear from us.”

“I'd like to go right now to be sure. With some luck I can get there and can hide in the crowd, we kinda have to steal those things as we barely have any money.”

“Don't risk getting caught!”, Ray warned him harshly, going through his pockets. He brought forth a few stray coins and threw it to him and after some hesitation he undid the brooch holding his coat together: “Here. Sell that for a good price. The coat might not bring much but the brooch should.”

“Are you sure, Ray?”, Ryan asked cautiously. Both of them knew how much those things meant to the knight.

“I am. Both are reminder of a King I refuse to follow anymore.”, he simply said before dropping the items in Ryans lap and standing up. “Hurry up.”, he muttered before going to search for the silver crown. He seemed even smaller without his coat on.

It was when Ryan held the coat up to fold it, that he noticed the small clip on it. Pulling it off, he inspected it before calling after the knight.

“What now-”, Ray started irritated before stopping abruptly.

“Just wanted to make sure if I should get rid of it, too?”, the counselor asked carefully while he tried to ignore the obvious fight going on in the others face. He couldn't say that he saw this clip before and it seemed to belong to a girl, maybe Ray was meeting someone? On the other hand there was a rose on it which might be reason enough for him to keep it.

“No.”, he slowly said in the end and taking the hair clip. “Thank you. You can sell the rest though.”

 

Geoffs hand roamed over the cushions of the throne like he was greeting an old friend before he was interrupted: “You're not going to sit down?”

It wasn't even a real question by Jack, he just wanted to make sure.

“This place doesn't belong to me just yet.”, Geoff explained with a sigh. “They might call me King and speak of my return but Gavin still wears the crown and I don't want mine until I won his. It's my own law after all.”

“Figured that much but don't forget; the true ruler is the one who the people follow. The moment you stepped a foot back into this castle the guards listened to you and not King Gavin.”

“They knew me for most of their lives. You yourself told me that Gavin wasn't a bad King. It was just a matter of time and they would've treated me as an intruder.” Turning towards his old friend, Geoff smiled proudly: “He really has grown up, you weren't lying! Even daring to point his weapon at me!”

“That's still a long way to actually shoot.”

“But a step closer!”, he retorted and Jack rolled his eyes at him.

“Fine. Let's hope he won't get any closer because we have enough problems with the Vagabond and Ray as it is already.”

“Yeah should have maybe not let them escape.”

“I told you to close the gates.”

“And I thought you and Michael would make sure to at least get the Vagabond killed!”, Geoff replied flatly.

“It doesn't matter now anyway. We have prepared for that; the moment even one of them steps into a village we will know it. I made sure that our men are everywhere.”

“I know. Did you tell them not to interfere?”

“Yes, they will just notify us.”

“Good. I want those three for myself.”, the new king said bitter but determined. The look on Gavins face was still fresh in his mind; shocked and confused. And later desperate pain because of the betrayal.

Even after all it still hurt Geoff to see that. It had only surprised him a bit that those emotion didn't show on Rays face as well. At least only for a blink of an eye before there had been rage, deep and mighty. Not like the knight he had chosen himself, that stood by his side always politely and maybe a bit shy.

The Nether changes people.

Their death was inevitable now.

Sighing deeply, Geoff sat down on one of the spare chairs: “Please leave me alone.”

“As you wish.” Turning around, he closed the door behind him before noticing that he had been awaited.

Michael wasn't happy, that was an obvious fact as he tried to reach for the doorknob. Jack didn't let him: “What do you think you're doing?”

“I need to talk to Geoff.”

“The King wants to be alone.”  
“He's not the King though.”, Michael said fiercely, knowing he had made a mistake when the counselor turned his head towards him, his eyes cold. But then Jack sighed and he smiled apologizing: “Sorry Michael, it's a bit stressful but most of all for Geoff. This decision wasn't an easy one for neither of us and if you want to ask about what happened today I am more than willing to answer all your questions.”

“Are you sure?”, the warrior asked skeptical.

“I am. But not here; let's give Geoff some peace of mind.”

“Fine.” He followed Jack into a conference room where he sat down. That made him a bit nervous because he barely was in here, this was a room for the higher ranks and the lords of different kingdoms but he needed to know. The earlier incident had left him shaken and confused, maybe a bit betrayed.

He was just glad that the others made it out alive and he wasn't sure if he shouldn't be with them right now or not. He had always been loyal to Geoff and he trusted the mans decisions but right now he wasn't sure anymore. On the other hand being in this situation was his own fault.

There had been a moment earlier when everything had turned dark and the fighting stopped because everyone was blind where a hand had taken a hold of his arm.

It had been Ryan, he knew that. He had known that the moment he had felt the touch but when the vagabond tugged at him, he didn't move. Because he shouldn't be saved by the man he had just betrayed so easily.

So the man had gone on and saved at least his other two friends.

Now Michael had to deal with this situation if he wanted to or not.

“I understand that you went after Ryan.”, he finally began. “But why Ray and Gavin?”

“The Nether changes people.” Jack simply said before he sat down with another sigh. “I'm pretty sure you have noticed that.”

Thinking about the knight, Michael nodded.

“It can be different things. Some people get tired, some need to be in action all the time. Most people get aggressive against everyone besides themselves, they get manipulative or sly – you know the deal.”

“That doesn't explai-” Jack stopped his words with a movement of his hand and the warrior leaned back in his chair.

“What changes them are spirits that follow them out and are now possessing them.”

Michael crooked an eyebrow before he blinked: “Their gifts... they come from those spirits?”

“Exactly. There is a reason why those spirits are locked away and they need to be sent back. They are incredibly dangerous.”

“So you kill them? Even though they finally managed to get out of the Nether?”

“We have to.”, Jack mumbled, his eyes sad. “Don't think it was an easy decision for Geoff.”

“Geoff was in the Nether as well.”

The counselor nodded: “He took longer than the others but not as long as we made you believe. I was at the portal when Haywood came through and hid until he left but it was only a few days later when Geoff also managed to escape. But instead of the others he had not made a deal. Do you understand, Michael? He was the only one strong enough to not fall for them! That's why he is the first King, the allfather. The only one worth of the crown to begin with.”

The warrior felt a shiver running down his back before he caught himself and shook his head: “But Jack! I really don't think that any of them have any ill intention! Sure, they are not the best people in the world but they are not... some evil demons or something!”

“You know why I came back alone in the first place? Geoff had heard about Gavin being King even after he had tried so many years to get him to take that title. He couldn't believe it! So he sent me out to see why he had changed that way. And you know what I found? A kingdom ruled by three survivors of the Nether, all possessed by a demon. Not only that; they got rid of you by sending you out on a mission to kill any person that dared to speak up against the King and his kind! You as the only person close to the King without any gift!”

Michael opened his mouth to talk back but he couldn't. Yes, that was how it must have looked like to Jack but that wasn't how it had been. Right?

Because Gavin had sent him out to make him happy. Gavin had known how much he had wanted to. Gavin had been so concerned, he didn't want to get rid of him.

“Jack I really believe... you know, maybe some of this is true but...”, he tried to word his concern but his thoughts were swirling in his head. “They are still not bad people. Maybe... yeah maybe Ryan is in some way but he is really kind! He helped Gavin a lot! And it's true that Ray changed after the Nether and he is a lot more aggressive but it's getting better! It really is! Also Gavin hasn't changed! I mean, of course he has but that was not because of any demon or the Nether! Please-”

“You don't know Gavin.”, Jack interrupted him again and Michael frowned because that was an obvious lie.

“I don't know him? Are you kidding me? I know him better than you!”

“None of us have ever met Gavin.”

“What are you...”, Michael let the sentence trail off, before he stood up abruptly, his eyes wide in shock. “No! Don't you dare give me this bullshit!”

Even though the other had raised his voice Jacks words were still calm and collected: “What Geoff brought into this castle was a demon. Of course he didn't know that back then and it might be because he raised him like his son that he is so... human.”

“Jack I respect you but I swear if you don't stop thi-”

“How could a little boy overcome the possession of a demon when Ray struggles so obviously with it? Why is he the only one who doesn’t remember his live before the Nether?”

For a moment the warrior opened his mouth and closed it again, being at the loss of words. Then he shook his head: “No. Maybe it was a really weak spirit. Maybe he was a really strong kid but the Gavin that I know is not a demon! This is bullshit!”

“I told you that those spirits change people. Make them sly, even manipulative.” Jacks eyes found him and they weren't warm anymore. They were cold and determined: “That's what gave Gavin power from the start, didn't it?”

“Jack, please. I've known him for... for so long! You know him even longer! Geoff knows him! There is no way...”

“Yeah, Geoff knows him. Like a son. And Gavin knows him. Like a father. Knows his ego.” Folding his hands neatly on the table, Jack said: “That's probably why he told him how much fun it would be to make a new law. To see if anyone in the Kingdom was stronger than the King himself and would dare to challenge him. And that maybe for the right price they could find that out.”

 

Moving through the trees had become easy, by now he barely made a noise anymore. After Ryan had come back from the nearby village they traveled a bit further and here the forest was dense and the water clear.

They had settled there for now but Gavin knew they were just waiting for a decision from him. Right now he didn't want to make one. He liked the peace here and not thinking about what was happening in the castle felt good. Still he preferred days like this where he was alone, striving through the woods.

Turned out he was good at hunting, seeing as he was fast and quiet enough to get close to the wild animals for his arrows. Also it felt like he was leaving behind the pressure. No glances from the other two, begging him to act in some way.

He had already made his choice, at least he thought he had.

The crown was his. In some way at least. But turning against Geoff just to get back on the throne was something he wasn't sure he was able to do.

Shaking those thoughts off, he moved on, knowing that they needed fresh meat. They had nearly run out and even if Ryans cooking wasn't bad per se, it definitely tasted better with some meat in it.

Jumping into the next tree, Gavin flinched and reached for his side. Stabilizing himself on a branch, he took a few calming breaths before moving on. Even though Ray took care of the wound constantly, cleaning and wrapping it up each day it just wouldn't heal. The knight knew not enough about medicine to find a solution but at least he had distinguished an antiseptic from the different pods. Still Gavins skin was red and burned like a contained fire.

There was a nickering to his left. Stopping in his tracks, he listened closely but yeah, that was a horse. There weren't any wild ones around this place, at least he had never seen one. Pulling the bow over his head, he sneaked ahead, glad for his green coat and scarf which at least gave him some covers. Not that much longer though, some leaves were already changing colors.

Jumping to the next tree, he made out three horses, standing neatly next to each other and he felt his heart miss a beat. He knew those.

But that couldn't be! How could they have found them? They had been invisible!

Carefully to not make a noise, he creeped on but sure enough he was right.

Geoff was attending to a fire. Gavin could only see his back from here before he looked around. He couldn't make out the other two but there was no way that they weren't close as he could see the huge battleaxe near the horses.

Biting his lip, he dug further into his cover. What now?

Their own base wasn't even far away, they probably even got water out of the same stream. He had to go back and warn the other two. How did they even find them? Had Ryan been spotted while being in the village? But they had been so careful!

Geoff moved and revealed a pot hanging over the fire. There was a sting of jealousy when Gavin realized that he was cooking. It had been rare but whenever Geoff had found time to cook it had been delicious.

He hadn't tasted that in years.

He remembered begging him to cook until Jack took him aside, explaining to him that a king didn't have time for that. Well seemed like he had it now.

Geoff looked up and their eyes met.

Freezing, Gavin didn't dare to breath. Maybe he was looking at something else, there was no way that he could've spotted him!

“Gavin?”, his father asked and with a gasp he flinched back until he hit the trunk. Mad at himself, Gavin pushed himself up once more, drawing an arrow in a fluent motion before pointing it at his father: “How did you find us?”

“That's none of your business.”, he replied before moving closer, apparently not at all intimidated by the weapon. “I didn't think we would have another time to talk but-”

“I am certainly not here to have a conversation with you!”, the king spit, shifting a bit to aim better. Knowing that he wasn't going to let go of that string.

“Jack told me you weren't a bad King! I'm glad! Also I looked through your notes; your style was a bit more strict than what I had imagined but not bad at all!”

“Shut up!”, Gavin screamed, his hands shaking. It hurt seeing Geoffs smile fall at his words and he knew he was dumb for feeling this way.

“I'm sorry.”, the older man whispered but still loud enough for him to hear. “I'm sorry that it turned out this way.” Reaching for his sword, he slowly pulled it from its sheath: “I just wanted to let you know that I am really proud of you.”

The arrow was far too high to be any danger but it was the fastest way to flee. The moment Gavin had let go of the string, he turned around and ran. Fastening the bow on his back, he didn't care about making any noise as he jumped from branch to branch. He'd love to scream right now. Scream out the rage in his chest and the sorrow these words had brought him, but he clenched his teeth, fearing it would end in a sob and freeze him again.

Leaping, he barely missed the next tree but only because he saw the other person coming his way. It was too late to dodge him now, seeing as Jack was already looking up, searching for the source of the noise.

Gavin turned left in hope to vanish between the leaves but he saw in the corner of his eye how the other man let go of the wood he had carried, before he reached for his weapons.

Focusing on the next branch, he jumped but the axe hit first, severing his hold. Landing on the wood, it broke beneath him and with a yelp he fell. Instinctive he curled up, protecting his face with his arm as he crashed through the leaves. Something collided with his head pretty hard and blindly he reached for it, stopping his fall for a second before he slipped of, finally hitting the ground. He actually managed to land on his feet but the impact let him drop to his side, groaning when the pain finally caught up with him.

Desperately gasping for air, he forced his eyes open, the sky above him shaking and blurry.

_-id of the dark?_

His head pounded as if it was trying to split open but it was the stabbing pain in his side that shocked him the most.

_Are you afraid of the dark?_

His fire.

Blinking, he tried to focus on the moving sky above him, reaching out and sending out a flame high above the trees. Hearing the nearing steps, he rolled onto his belly, trying to organize his limps. He had to get up. If it was Geoffs will Jack would not hesitate to kill him.

Pushing himself of the ground and finally onto his feet, he shook his head. Everything around him was still twisting and he reached to hold his temple. Stumbling on, he tried to orientate himself but couldn't find anything familiar. Well besides Jacks who calmly collected his axe, before looking up, his face somber.

The nearing danger made Gavins head clear again and he began to run, dashing through the bushes. There was no way he was stronger than the blacksmith but at least he was faster.

Gasping, he looked around in hope to find some sturdy low branches to get himself on higher ground again. But the stomping of his chaser was still too close and he didn't dare to lose any time.

The sound stopped for a moment and the king crouched, the axe hitting a nearby tree trunk. Sliding through the mud, Gavin brought forth his bow, ripping an arrow out of his quiver and pointing it at the blacksmith.

Jack halted immediately, a second axe ready to throw any second but both knew that neither of them were going to miss at this distance. Still it was clear which weapon was going to leave the most harm and even when Gavin ignited the tip of his arrow he felt the short stalemate slipping away.

His inside was still fighting against it but he forced his hands to aim for the others throat, determined to shoot this time.

Jacks eyes shifted for a second and behind him Gavin heard a sword being drawn. He felt himself go pale and a shiver of fear ran through his body as he waited for the cold metal to find his skin.

In the end it didn't happen. The color he made out in the corner of his eyes was red and when he finally dared to look up it was Ryan who stood next to him. The relief that ran through his body was incredible when he saw the merciless expression of his friend.

He was safe now.

The counselor moved in front of him, shielding him with his body while he eyed the blacksmith thoroughly, deciding which action to take next. He took a course that surprised Gavin: “How about you vanish, Jack? Just turn around and we forget this happened. Seeing as it's two against one this battle would hardly be fair.”

Letting his bow sink, the king looked up to the man before noticing the look he was getting from Jack.

“You've grown soft, Vagabond.”, the blacksmith muttered as he hooked his weapons to his belt again. “This boy will be your downfall and you know it already. Still you follow him with your head held high. I can't wait to see how this will end.”

“Don't know what you're talking about. I am just looking forward to fight you when you are fully prepared. You don't even carry your battleaxe with you, where would be the fun?”

“Yeah, let's go with that if it lets you sleep better at night.”, Jack shrugged before he turned around and walked of. “But heed my warning, Haywood.”

“Ryan?”, Gavin asked carefully but the man didn't react. Not moving from his spot, he watched intently until the blacksmith vanished between the trees and then a little longer until he was sure he was gone. Sighing relieved, he quickly turned around: “Are you alright?”

“I am but what was that? Why didn't we fight him? Of course he was in a tight spot – maybe we could have capture him! Exchange him for a deal with Geoff or-”  
“I know. Stand up.”, the counselor simply said and confused Gavin did so, surprised when his knees bucked and he fell back. For the first time he looked down, noticing the blood that stained his clothes.

“Your wound reopened, also there is a large laceration on your temple. In this condition you wouldn't be any help, rather a risk.” Putting his sword away he crouched in front of the king, taking his hand and pressing it against his head: “Also I don't know where Michael and Geoff are. If they'd attack from behind, both of us would be dead.”

Lowering his arm, Gavin stared disbelieving at the amount of red on his fingers: “I didn't... I didn't notice. I mean I did notice the hit but it didn't hurt!”

“Adrenaline. Both a blessing and a curse.” Ripping the seam of his coat off, he handed it towards the other man: “Hold it against your temple. Head wounds bleed a lot and you need to put pressure on it.”

When he made no attempt to do so, his counselor forced him, making sure Gavin got a good hold on it.

“I've met Geoff.”, the king suddenly mumbled, closing his eyes.

“I see.”, Ryan sighed saddened. Reaching out again, he stroke through the others hair, allowing him to lean into the touch. “I'm sorry.”

 

It was while he was sitting down, washing the used bandages when he noticed the eyes on him. Looking up Michael was standing on the other side of the small stream and quickly the knight was on his feet, shocked that the other could have come so close without him noticing. That was something Gavin usually did.

Drawing his rapier, Ray dashed forward, water spraying to all sides when he hurried through it, cutting the others face. Stopping his blade right at the throat, he watched how the skin of his cheeks parted, revealing pretty red drops. The cut was a lot more shallow than he had expected.

The warrior didn't move, didn't even flinch the whole time, his eyes just locked with his friend, Mogar resting on his back.

“What are you doing here?”, Ray whispered agitated.

“I wanted to talk with you.”

“What makes you believe I want to hear a single word you say, traitor?” The answer was a small touch on his collar and when the knight looked down, Michael was tipping on the hair clip resting there.

For a moment the rapier was shaking against the delicate skin before Ray hissed and lowered it with a snarl. Walking a few steps away, he quickly turned back around: “What is going on? What are you doing here? How did you even find us?”

“Some people spotted Ryan in a nearby village so we were looking through the forest since then.”

“Impossible! We were careful! It was mere hours after you guys attacked!”

“Jack has his men everywhere, you should know this.”, Michael shrugged before growing serious again. “You have no idea how long they've been planning that!”

“Plan what? What does Geoff want from us? What did we do?”

“He wants you dead for good. Do you know that I had to listen to possibilities to kill you guys once and for all?”

“But why?”

“Because you survived the Nether!”

“That's bullshit! As if that wasn't punishment enough already!”, Ray screamed at him, having a hard time controlling himself. He was furious beyond believe and even though he knew it wasn't Michaels fault it took all his will not to launch himself at his friend.

“Jack told me you guys made some deal with demons or spirits or something like that! What does that even mean; I don't even know what to think anymore!” Michael reached for the knight as if for help but Ray stepped back, starting to restlessly pace back and forth.

“This is all-”, he began, before clenching his teeth. It had been a mistake to cut the warrior. Now all he could see was the red and all he could smell was the red and his head started to hurt because of it. Breathing heavily, he closed his eyes: “So what now? Jack and Geoff are also here?”

“Yeah but by now they haven't found you guys. They are searching though.”, his tone got worried and this time he gently placed a hand on Rays arm. “Listen. I really, really didn't know they were after you and Gavin. I'd never imagined... I tried to talk them out of killing Ryan but... but it's Geoff, Ray. It's Geoff.”

Jerking himself free from the grasp, the knight stumbled back, feeling his anger ignite over those words. “Still... Gavin was- Gavin is your King!”

“I know bu-”

“Please go, Michael.”, he managed to choke out, feeling his control slip away.

“Ray there is still something I need to tell you.” “Micha-” “It's really important!” And he grabbed his shoulders and Ray had to open his eyes when he shook him. There were lazy drops still rolling over the pale skin. It was such a pretty contrast, how had he never thought about it? With his reddish hair Michael had such a light skin tone and the blood was swallowing the freckles. It was way more fun to watch that than with darker skin, he could see it all so clearly.

Right now he wanted to reach for the wound and maybe he could draw on that skin. Maybe there was a picture hidden between the freckles.

Holding his head with his free hand, he tried to compose himself but maybe he was making too much of a deal of it all. It didn't look as if it hurt his friend at all. Michael didn't seem to mind it, so why would he mind if there are two or three cuts? Thinking about it he clearly needed more blood to connect all those dots.

“Jack told me about why Geoff decided on those damn law!”, the warrior continued, frowning over his friend but not saying anything. “And he said that it was Gavin that suggested it! Like he's some kind of mastermind behind all of this! He said that he's a traitor!”

Traitor was really an ugly word. And it sparked the anger again because it was a threat to Gavin and a threat to Gavin was a threat to him and Ray knew he had lost the battle over his control.

It felt a bit like slipping into sleep, like he was dreaming and knowing he wouldn't remember it when he resurfaced. It was a pleasant dream though, he knew he was smiling and laughing a lot.

It also had really nice colors.

It was fire that woke him. Fire high above the trees and this part of him remembered that fire meant Gavin was in danger and that he shouldn't be here right now and that he should stop whatever he was doing to get where he belonged right now.

There were some gasps next to his ear and it weren't his own but he was also breathing heavily. Michael was embracing him, his arms so tightly wrapped around him that it was hard to breath. It was then that he noticed that his own free hand was desperately grasping for a hold on the others back as if he was drowning, his nails leaving marks.

His other hand held on to the rapier, which blade was still biting into the others flesh.

Disgusted with himself, he stepped back, freeing himself from the arms and making Michael sway a bit. They stared at each other for a moment and Ray covered his mouth with his hand, seeing the red sipping over the skin of his friend. It didn't look pretty anymore, it just shocked him and he felt the pain as if he was cutting himself. Didn't he know how much that hurt?

Just because he could heal it didn't apply to the others!

He didn't like that red! He didn't want to see that red on a friend!

“It's alright.”, Michael wheezed, a bit out of breath. He hadn't even drawn his sword and Ray stepped away, feeling that he had been crying for a longer time. “You didn't cut deep. You didn't even try to, I'm fine.”

Shaking his head frantic, the knight screamed: “Why didn't you stop me!”

Michael sat down hard on the ground, shaking a bit: “Think I'm stupid enough to make the same mistake twice?”

“I-” He couldn't look into those eyes. He wasn't worthy because they actually looked at him concerned, not hateful and suddenly Ray feared himself the most. The rapier shook in his hand and for a moment he wanted nothing more than to throw it away and never touch it again.

That wasn't an option anymore.

Turning on his heels, he ran.

Not very far, he was out of breath fast but he just wanted to get away from Michael. Right now he didn't want to be close to anyone. He wasn't even sure if it was for his own sake or for the safety of the others.

Now he let his weapon go as he wade into the stream. The water was deeper here and he let himself fall on his knees, feeling sharp stone scrape over them. Desperately his hands moved, trying to scrub the red off of his skin as if that would help take all the wounds back.

It was scary.

It was incredibly scary not remembering what exactly he had done. What he might have said.

Noticing the blood on his clothes, he ripped the top over his head starting to wash it frantic.

That hadn't happened before. He had always felt the bloodlust as a part of him and yes he had enjoyed it. Hurting Michael hadn't be fun, he didn't like it. Not when the warrior had just stood there, staring at him, not even being angry.

Screaming in frustration, he let his head submerge hoping to get rid of any evidence left on his face. Maybe even letting the cold water calm his thoughts down a bit.

He had resisted his urge to hurt, the urge to kill. To paint that pretty skin with red floral pattern. Was that why?

Was the moment he decided to go against this desire the moment he was going to be overtaken and forced to do it?

How could he be sure that he wasn't going to snap in the next second? How could he be sure that he wasn't going to turn against the people closest to him like he had done with Michael? What if he was going to wake up and finding out he had killed a friend? What if he was just going to stand up in the middle of the night and cut Ryan throat before laying back down?

What if it would be Gavin instead.

For a moment Ray considered staying like this before he resurfaced, gasping for air, forcing the oxygen down into his rotten lungs.

There had been fire. Gavin had been in danger and right now he should be with his king and not here but his bones wouldn't let him move. Ryan had probably seen it too and as much as it hurt to admit it, he was the safer option right now.

So he simply sat there for the longest time, feeling the coldness numb his body, wondering if he was crying. His face felt terribly wet and flushed and he wanted to tear the skin right off.

Someone called his name and by the high pitched sound of it, it had to be Gavin. Not bothering to look up, he asked himself how he had been found. But on the other hand he had gone out to wash their stuff at the stream so it wasn't that hard. At least his king was safe.

Strong hands locked under his armpits and he was dragged out with ease before he slumped down onto the ground. That had been Ryan, who started talking to him now but the knight didn't bother to listen. It was only when he saw Gavin and saw the blood all over his clothes as well as the bandages that he came back to his senses.

He wanted to ask what happened but his teeth were suddenly clattering and he was shaking in the cold wind.

Ryan walked away, giving a few words to the king before Gavin hobbled towards him, his face twisted in pain. The blanket they slept under was thrown over Rays shoulder while the king sat down carefully, avoiding any strain on his side.

“Come on, lad.”, Gavin hummed softly. “We need to get you out of your wet clothes.”

The knight knew he should probably protest against being undressed by a king but his eyes rather focused on Ryan. The counselor had picked up his rapier and the red smears were so obvious on the blue blade. Still he didn't say anything, he simply bent down and started to wash it of.

Shifting his eyes back to Gavin, he watched his friend rub him dry with forceful movements. There was blood on the blanket now, not much but there was no need for that. Gavin wasn't stupid and judging by the grim look on his face, he knew well what Ray had done. It was only when their eyes met that he wanted to cry again. Because the king knew.

Ray didn't know how but somehow his friend knew whose blood it was and still he continued to clean it.

“I'm sorry.”, the knight whispered barely audible but got no response whatsoever. Gavin simply bit down on his lip.

“I didn't kill him.”, Ray quickly added and the green eyes widened in surprise.

“Really?”

“I don't think I hurt him badly. I... I stopped.” The words left his mouth and Gavins face looked so relieved that he nearly cracked a smile. Then there were arms around him and he was pressed to the others body and it felt as warm as Michael had felt. He didn't deserve that.

“Thank god. Thank you so much, Ray.”, the king whispered into his ear, before letting go and wrapping the blanket tightly around him. Getting on his feet, he winced, holding his side. Still he walked to the stream to wring out the uniform of the knight.

“We need to get away from here as soon as possible.”, Ryan said as he returned with the clean rapier. Ray slowly nodded, even feeling too tired to complain when the older man put his heavy cloak around the knights shoulder. The warmth was more than welcome.

“I'm ready any minute now.”, he muttered as an apology.

“It's alright.”, the counselor assured him, reaching out before stopping in his movement. Surprised Ray stared at him, realizing that the other man had just tried to pat his head before noticing his mistake.

Clearing his throat Ryan let his hand fall back awkwardly: “Just... take your time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that only two chapters remaining; wow that went by fast!  
> So; I'd really love to hear your guys thoughts on this one because it was really important and kinda hard to write (even had to fight with some writer block here and there)  
> The song is "Who are you really?" by Mikky Ekko and it's great. You should check it out!


	14. King Geoff 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He remained quiet while Ray cleaned Gavins wound the best he could, added some balsam and wrapped it back up. Feeling his own face darken again like it always did when he saw the swollen flesh, knowing that they were probably fighting against an infection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eeeeeeey! Early update guys!  
> I apologize in advance; I actually felt guilty while writing this. Please don't kill me?

14\. King Geoff

 

_Now you're moving on and you say you're alone_

_Suspicious that this string is moving your bone_

_We are the fire, we see how they run_

_See how they run_

 

“Can we rest for a moment?”, Gavin asked the third time in this hour. He got the same answer as before: “Let's get as far as possible while we still have daylight.”

“Ryan.”, Ray peeped up and surprised the counselor let his horse turn. The knight had been more asleep than awake since they had fled and hearing the concern in his voice gave him a bad feeling.

The king had his eyes closed, his head buried between Rays shoulders and what he saw of his face was flushed.

“He really needs a break.”, the knight continued while Grisham caught up. Now that they were closer, he could clearly see how fast Gavin was breathing through clenched teeth, his hand on his side.

“Can you make it for a few more minutes until we find a better place?”

The king nodded but as Ryan waited for a moment he moaned quietly, before shaking his head against Rays back.

“Alright.” Dismounting from his horse, the counselor walked up to them.

“'m sorry.”, Gavin mumbled while he rather fell from Grisham than he was sliding and both of his friends needed to hold him to get him down safely. “It really hurts, I'm sorry. Just a second and I'm fine.” Sitting down immediately, he doubled over until his forehead pressed into the soft grass, gasping hecticly.

Noticing the red on the kings fingers, Ryan crouched down next to him before carefully prying his hand away: “It's still bleeding?”

He nodded but only once, before he stopped abruptly.

“Are you dizzy?”

“Yeah...”, Gavin admitted with a low voice. “I'll be right back. Just... just that up and down on the horse really hurt. I'm fine, just a second.”

That was obviously a lie and while rubbing over the damp back of the king Ryan threw the knight a worried look.

“It's alright.”, Ray said with a forced mocking tone even thought his face told the exact opposite. “I'll patch you up and do it right. Ryan probably just fucked it up.”

“Damn Ryan.”, Gavin laughed breathless, his eyes still closed and his face on the ground. “That sucks, you know that?”

“Yeah, sorry about that. Kinda wanted to get you out of that situation as fast as possible.”

“Be more gentle next time!”

“If you insist.” He remained quiet while Ray cleaned Gavins wound the best he could, added some balsam and wrapped it back up. Feeling his own face darken again like it always did when he saw the swollen flesh, knowing that they were probably fighting against an infection. It was obvious that Gavin was in pain so they let him rest as long as he wanted before they moved on.

They didn't get that much further as they found a small stream again, deciding to stay the night. Water was important and even though it was more likely to be found here by Geoff and the others they still needed it to survive.

The king seemed to get better after they stopped moving, quickly back up to stupid theories and dumb jokes which was at least a good sign.

Eating around the fire, they grew serious again discussing their next moves.

“So they are haunting us because we come from the Nether?”, Gavin asked, watching the broth in his wooden bowl with disgust. Not that he should complain, they had to use what they found and it had been him who hadn't brought back any meat.

“That's what Michael said.”

“But can we trust him?”, Ryan asked, getting a dirty look from the king immediately.

Reaching for the small hair clip on his collar, the knight nodded: “I think we can.”

“Are you sure he is on our side?”

“No. But I think he is on his own side and we have to make the best out of it.”

“Fine.”, Ryan agreed. “It still doesn't make any sense. Geoff comes from the Nether, too. What makes him any different from us?”

“Don't know but apparently he said something about spirits and demons a-”

“What if Geoff didn't make a contract?”, Gavin asked thoughtful.

“You think that's possible?”, the counselor asked and the king was quiet for a moment. In the end he shrugged: “If it is than only Geoff could do it.”

Falling silent, Ryan thought about that possibilities and if the distant look in his eyes was any indication, he would do that for the next minutes. Ray could nearly see how the brain of the other worked before turning towards Gavin: “I kind of messed up finding out more, sorry.”

“It's fine. Everything you found out brings us further, at least now we have some sort of clue.”

“Yeah. Still it sounded like most of what Michael said were strange things. I don't think they trust him completely and are feeding him lies. He even said that you had suggested the law towards Geoff and that every-”

“He said what?”, Gavin screeched, his bowl hitting the ground and rolling away. He was on his feet, his face white with shock.

“That's what Michael told me...”, Ray said slowly and felt a realization in his head, he refused to believe. Because Gavin didn't look confused or hurt, he looked guilty. Even Ryan looked up, a little lost at the sudden change of mood, not really following the conversation before.

“I never wanted all of this to happen!”, the king pleaded and Ray grew cold, remembering how many times he had heard his friend say that before. It hadn't even crossed his mind that Michael or rather Jack had said the truth. It seemed obvious that Gavin had suffered as much as everyone and wouldn't want anything to happen to his father in the first place but when the green eyes traveled from one to the other and he stepped back. It was a confession without words.

“Gavin..?”, Ryan asked slowly, the king flinching immediately at this word. “What does that mea-”

“It had been a joke! Please! Please I am telling the truth!”, he whispered fast. “Who would have guessed that Geoff was going to actually do it?” His hand pointed at his counselor: “Who would have imagined that someone was going to have the guts to challenge Geoff!”

Ray opened his mouth but couldn't find any words to express his feelings because right now he wasn't even sure what he was feeling. All of this because of a damn joke?

_Like he's some kind of mastermind behind all of this!_

But what if it was Jack who was right? What if Gavin was manipulating him right now?

“I didn't want everything to turn out like this! I swear! It was a dumb joke and we even laughed about it! And suddenly Geoff actually made it a law! I never...”, he let that sentence trail off, hiding his face in shame. “Jack told me he was going to make it alright. That I should tell no one what I did and that he was going to bring Geoff back. And if I apologized he would forgive me and everything would go back to normal! Then he showed me the weapons for me and Ray and said I should take action when I felt like I should. That maybe I should kill Ryan or help Ray but I wasn't allowed to say anything! He told me if I wouldn't say a word nobody was going to get mad at me!”

“It was... actually it was Jack who told Michael.”, the knight slowly said. He was getting surprised again when Gavin let his arms fall to his side, his face twisting in anger: “He promised! He promised not to tell anyone! Why did he do it? It's not like he is innocent either! It was him who brought it up first! Because of him I got the idea and no-”

“Gavi-”

“Now he told Michael! He said he wasn't going to!”

“Ga-”

“And everybody hates me now! I never wanted all this! It was a dumb joke!”

“Gavin!”, Ryan interrupted him fiercely and the king stepped back by the force of it, scared for his punishment. “It wasn't your fault!”

“Of course it was! I said it and then Geo-”

“Then why didn't Jack stop him?”

“I'm sure he tried! But Geoff is so stubborn a-”

“Gavin, it's not you! You were the one getting manipulated!”

“What? No! I-”

“It's Jack!”, Ryan insisted and finally the words stopped tumbling out of the kings mouth. “It's Jack, Gavin. Not you. He suggested it to you in the first place!”

“Maybe bu-”

“And he knows you since you were a child. He knew you were going to talk with Geoff about it. Didn't you tell us that those two are close? Wouldn't he also know how Geoff was going to react to such an idea?”

“What are you talking about?” Shaking his head, Gavin insisted: “Jack would never do anything to harm Geoff!”

“Would you?”

“No! Of course not! Like I said, it was a joke! I never meant to-”

“But what would Jacks goal be? Why would he do that?”, Ray joined the discussion.

“Guys it's not Ja-”

“I don't know yet.”, Ryan interrupted the king. “If he wanted to be on the throne himself all of this is way to complicated. He could have just killed Geoff.”

“What then? What did he gain from all of this?”, the knight insisted, feeling his own temper getting the best of him. If that was true...

Ryan shook his head slowly: “I have no clue. I guess he hasn't reached it yet or it turned out another way; otherwise we probably wouldn't be in this twisted situation right now.”

“Is Geoff in danger..?”, Gavin asked with a quiet voice. “Will Jack turn against him one more time? Are they even hunting us because of him?”

They grew silent at the thought of that while the king slowly settled back down again. After a while he added: “If one of us meets Michael again and has a chance to talk to him... we should tell him. Right now Geoff will believe him more than any of us.”

“But will he believe him more than he does Jack?”

Shrugging, the King didn't reply. It was only a few minutes later when he smiled shyly, sighing relieved: “So all of this wasn't my fault entirely. I am glad.”

The night fell upon them quickly after that, everyone of them trapped in their own thoughts and Ryan demanded to take the first turn to look out. Right now there was no way he could sleep, not with so many things on his mind while he tried to figure out the situation. Also it wasn't really a question in the first place; Gavin and Ray were both drained from this day and were far too tired to stay awake any longer.

So they settled down next to each other as always, drifting of soon enough. That left him time to think while darkness fell upon them, the fire soon the only source of light.

It were hours later when Ryan saw the king sitting up, used to it by now. He would look around before scooting closer to Ray and rest his head on his chest. By now that had happened every night and the vagabond sometimes wondered about that behavior, but it seemed to calm both of them down and he always felt guilty waking one of them when it was their turn.

Though this time, Gavin just let his head fall into his hands and stayed like that. Figuring he was sleepwalking or recovering from a bad dream, Ryan stayed quiet. The king turned his head slowly, watching the sleeping form next to him before reaching out. Stopping his movements again, he rather looked up, searching disorientated until he found Ryan.

“Is everything alright?”, the counselor asked into the silence and Gavin shook his head. Carefully the king got to his feet and dragged his coat behind him like a blanket while walking to the other, standing in front of him.

“I'm not feeling well.”, he admitted softly while swaying on his feet. Ryan took his arm and tugged a bit, letting the other tumble down with ease.

“Does your wound still hurt?”

“Yeah.”, he breathed out, leaning heavily against the others shoulder. The counselor nearly flinched when he felt the heat radiating from Gavin, his hand automatically moving up to check on his temperature. Immediately the king pressed his forehead against the cold touch, sighing with relief as he slumped back down.

“I'm sorry.”, he whispered when Ryan began to run his hand through his damp hair.

“It's not your fault.”

Gavin smiled disbelieving at that, before closing his eyes again, squirming with a pained expression: “It burns!”

Swatting the hand that was trying to tear at the wound away, the counselor shifted to get more comfortable not expecting the younger one to actually crawl in his lap.

“I'm sorry.”, Gavin repeated, sounding desperate and near tears when he rested his head in the crook of Ryans neck. “I really am. Just- I am really sorry but please...”, he let the sentence trail of, probably not knowing the ending of it himself being too exhausted to think.

For the longest moment the counselor didn't move, to unused to the sudden closeness but when he felt the fever against his skin and the frantic breaths, he carefully picked up the cloak and wrapping it around the shivering form. Whining, Gavin tried to shake it off before settling back, apologizing over and over again even thought he was nestling closer.

The infection must be spreading like a fire through him, Ryan thought while he rubbed small circles on the others back. Gavin went from sweating to shivering fast, too much in pain to get any rest.

They needed to get to a doctor. They needed to do something! Even when they had to risk getting caught; Gavin would die otherwise.

Right now he could feel him crying silently against his shoulder, his hands like claws in his clothes.

He needed to talk with Ray about this because he was out of options on this one.

In the end it didn't even need any words because the moment Rays eyes found them at the dawn of day, the knight understood. He didn't even look shocked, more like he had expected it by now.

“Is it that bad?”, he asked, rubbing his eyes while he crouched in front of the duo. Gavin didn't even answer, just nodded before burying his face against Ryans shoulder again. He had fallen asleep maybe half an hour ago, only to wake up with panicked gasps, disorientated and scared. Now he was shaking violently, his body drenched in sweat and the counselor tried his best to keep him from scratching at his wound.

“What should we do?”, Ryan asked quietly, his hand still resting on the others head, trying to comfort as best as he could. He hated being helpless; all his life he had made sure to know a wide variety of things to avoid situations where he didn't know what to do. A sickness was such a scary thing though, for him there was no way to fight them off. Knowledge of the human body or medicine was reserved for the more privileged ones so he never had any access to it. There had been a time where his son had been sick and right now he felt just as hopeless and lost, even though it luckily hadn't been as severe as right now.

“We'll burn it.”

“No!”, Gavin cried out, beginning to move. The counselor tried to shushed him down but he still tried to punch Ray: “Don't! It will hurt!”

“It'll get better then, Gav.”, the knight reassured him. “We should have done it from the start.”

“No! Please... please Ray don't!”, the king whined, shrinking away from his friend in fear.

“Sorry.”, Ray muttered before looking up to Ryan, noticing his pale but determined face. Good.

Nodding towards the fire, the counselor seemed to understand. Shifting, he tried to pry Gavin from him but the man clung to him for dear life: “Don't! Please! I'm good, I swear!”

He wanted to remind the king to be reasonable, to try to understand but it would be futile, seeing that he was far too delusional by now. So he got free with gentle force before laying him on the floor, the hands still like claws on his arms: “Don't go! Please don't leave me! I'm alright so please stay!”

“Gavin, we will be back in a second!”

The words didn't even seem to reach the feverish head when the king cried out loud: “I won't die! I won't! Please don't leave me, I'm good! I'm not sick!”

Ryan tore the hands away and felt more detestable than he had in a long time as he tried to ignore the weak sobs coming from the king now. Looking up, he saw the same feeling in Rays expression and he quickly took a hold of the knight, guiding him away.

“How are we going to do this?”, he asked and Ray stayed quiet, trying to think about the options they had.

“We use our swords as iron I guess.”, he began slowly. “But seeing his state we have to restrict him. His legs and arms so that he doesn't try to interfere.”

“Did you already thought about this before?”

“It crossed my mind but I hoped we wouldn't need to.”

“What else?”

“I-”, the knight started before running a hand through his hair in distress. “I don't know! Damn Ryan; they taught me how to bandage wounds and stop a bleeding to attend to the king while we wait for a real doctor! I don't fucking know how to cauterize someone!”

“Alright. We can still do this.” Putting a hand on the shoulder of the younger one, trying to calm him down a bit: “His scarf. We can use that to bind his arms, right?”

“Yeah. I will hold down his legs an-”

“I'm not going to be the one who burns him!”

“Well me neither!”, Ray objected fiercely.

“I don't thin-”

“Ryan.”, the knight looked him straight in the eye, his voice suddenly calm and keen. “Listen, I don't think I can hurt him.”

“You think I have fun wi-”

“No, you don't understand. I don't think I am physically capable of hurting him. I don't think my body will move.”

Ryans eyes widened as he understood: “Is it that strong?”

“Yes. You have to look out for yourself, I don't know what I will do.”

The counselor opened his mouth but there were no words to describe the anxious look in Rays face. This time he didn't think twice about it as he reached out and gave him a hopefully comforting pat on the head: “We'll figure something out about that, too.”

The eyes of the knight lowered: “So will you do it?”

“I don't really have another choice, do I?”

“Thank you.” Opening his belt, Ray let his sheath with his weapon fall to the ground. “Just to be sure I can't reach it.”, he explained. “Let's get this over with.”

Still they hesitated for a moment until Ryan moved towards the small fire, throwing in some wood to feed it. So it left Ray to carefully crouch down next to his friend, touching his shoulder. Gavin didn't even seem to notice, curled up in fetal position, biting down on his fist. It was easy to unwrap the scarf from his neck but the moment he tugged at his arm, the king punched after him: “Please don't!”

The knight tried to shush him down but he resisted with every bit of strength he had left: “I don't want to! Please Ray! Don't burn me! It'll hurt, please don't!”

“It'll be fine-”

“No!”

“Gavin.”, Ray whispered, letting go of his arm. “Do you trust me?”

The king closed his eyes, making tears fall from them before he nodded.

“Thank you. I want to make you better. Both me and Ryan, but you have to let us help you. Can you do that?”

Hesitating, he finally offered his shaking hand and with soft touches the knight bound on end of the scarf around it, making sure it was knotted tight. Gavin whimpered beneath him, while he stood up, looping the fabric around a tree trunk before settling down on the other side. Thank god his stupid scarf was so ridiculously long.

Reaching for the other arm, the king flinched away, trying hopelessly to get free again until Ray tugged again, guiding him away from the knot.

“You're doing good.”, he whispered, stopping in his movements whenever he felt a resistance. Tracing mindless patterns with his fingers on the others skin until he calmed down enough to let his muscles relax.

It took long until he finally stretched the arm over Gavins head, the king still crying softly but it wasn't until the familiar fabric of the scarf touched him when he panicked. Trashing around on the floor, Ray nearly lost his grip before forcing the hand back down, quickly binding his other wrist as well.

The king howled at that, the muscles in his arm clearly visible when he tore at his restrains, crying out for help. Ray watched him, feeling sick in the stomach seeing him like this, trying desperately to shush him down but his friend didn't seem to hear him.

Without thinking, he ran his hand through the others hair. Knowing it always calmed him down when Ryan did it but also scared by the heat radiating from the skin. “It'll be alright, Gav.”, he whispered, sadness lacing his tone. It broke his heart.

What if they were too late? What if they did it wrong and maybe cut him more? Their swords were meant to hurt and not to heal! Maybe the blade wouldn't be hot enough because of the diamonds in it.

This was a bad idea. They didn't even know what they were doing!

Then there was a hand on his shoulder and when Ray looked up he had to blink a few times until his eyes focused on Ryan. Right now he couldn't remember being more thankful for that man, seeing that his sword rested in the flames, knowing that he was going to take the risk by himself.

“Give him this to bite on.”, he said while handing him a piece of wood. Hesitating, the knight took it, fearing he would have to force it in. But with a quiet sob, Gavin opened his mouth. Making sure he had a good hold on it, Ray carefully lifted the shirt of the other, starting to unwrap the wound. Seeing the red and swollen flesh made him feel sick but also reminded him to hurry if the temperature of his skin was any indication.

In the end they were ready. Gavins eyes flew open in fear when the knight moved to sit on his legs, shifting when Ryan took the place next to him.

“Are you ready?”, he asked softly, his hand cool against the others forehead. “I'll be as quick as possible.”

A muffled answer came but none of them understood the words, so Gavin just let his head roll back. With a heavy breath, Ryan looked for the knight who simply nodded, his hands finding the kings hips to hold them down. He watched when the counselor reached for his sword, flinching a bit at the warm hilt. The blade had a red tint, singing quietly against the cold air now.

His free hand rested on the others chest, feeling the frantic rise and fall of it, the heart beating fast against his fingers. The muscles on Gavins stomach clenched underneath his skin when the weapon came closer, his wide eyes following its every movement. Bracing himself for another moment, Ryan pressed the blade into the wound and even with both of their weight combined the body convulsed in a sudden movement. Scared to cut him, he retreated in shock before forcing the sword back down. They held him still this time, listening to the terrible hissing before Gavin screamed at the top of his lungs, still incredibly loud even though it came out muffled. His hands were tangled in the scarf, trying to find a way to pull himself away from the pain while his head was trashing around, his eyes squinted with tears rolling down his cheeks.

Then he went limp as his conscious slipped away and Ryan couldn't help but take a relieved breath. It was then when he took in the smell of burned flesh that he knew he couldn't do it anymore. Maybe he should hold it down longer, maybe he had already done it too long but with a forceful fling he threw his sword away.

Silence was what followed as he slowly released the pressure from the others chest, holding his shaking hand under his nose to block the scent out. In the corner of his eyes he saw Rays finger still digging in the others skin, leaving dark marks before he finally relaxed, curling them into fists.

That was the moment the counselor remembered the warning of the other and turned around. Still the first punch hit him in the face before he caught the second one. The knight jumped at him, pushing him to the ground and taking hold of the others hair. His head got slammed against the grass and Ryan gasped, knowing that his throat was exposed now. Knowing that they had been in this situation before and he closed his lids, waiting for the rapier to draw blood again.

Thank god the knight had put it away.

Blinking, he saw the same realization in the others eyes. It was weak, the wild animal more present. His gaze shifted back towards the throat, wondering if his teeth were going to be enough.

“Ray.”, Ryan gulped and the eyes shot back up. There was a deep conflict in the brown iris and there was a noise coming from that slender body that almost sounded like a growl.

With a sudden movement the knight pushed himself up, yelling his frustration out as he walked away. Gasping, Ryan watched him as he got back up. Waiting if the other was going for his rapier or not, wondering if he would attack.

In the end Ray didn't come back.

Not admitting how shaken he was, the counselor gently took the wood out of Gavins mouth, shivering at the bite marks in it. Untying both of his wrists before walking towards the nearby stream, drenching the scarf. He washed the tears and spit from the others face before putting it on his forehead, hoping to get the fever down.

Ryan hadn't even realized that he had fallen asleep but now that he thought about it, it seemed obvious. The night had been spent with taking care of Gavin and the day before had been stressful, too. So when someone tugged at his hair it took some time to find the will to open his lids again.

Gavin eyes were glossy and his skin pale besides his red cheeks. He looked still terribly sick and exhausted. “You didn't go.”, he whispered, smiling like he was finally at peace with himself. “You stayed.”

“We never intended to leave you behind, Gav.”, Ryan assured him as he wiped the sleep from his eyes.

“You sure?”

“I am.”

“And what if I had died?”, he said so quiet that the counselor nearly missed it.

“Then we would have walked to that damn portal and got you out of course.”

The king snorted at that before covering his eyes: “You suck.”

“Sorry about that.”, he replied with a smile before sitting up, shaking his head awake.

“Where's Ray?”

“He'll be back soon.” At least Ryan hoped so. Looking around the sun had rose so he had been sleeping for most of the morning and there was still no trace of the knight. “How are you feeling?”, he asked, changing the topic fast.

“Tired. Really, really tired.”, Gavin sighed. “And it hurts but right now not as much. I'm pretty thirsty though.”

“I'll get you something.”

The king slept for the rest of the day, only waking up occasionally to drink or eat something. Ryan stayed with him, trying his best to get his fever down.

Ray showed up hours later, soaked to the bones and without saying a word. He dropped a dozen dead animals by the fire before he took the place next to Gavin, letting his head rest in his lap.

Nobody commented on the fact that there was no blood left in the animals.

 

It was ridiculous.

He was a warrior. He had won most of his fights without much of a problem. He had served under four different kings that had trusted him to protect them.

And now he was lost in the woods.

After Ray had left him behind, his first impulse was to follow him but seeing the state he was in it was clear that it would be futile. So he walked into the opposite direction, following the stream because he knew that their camp was close to it.

Only that he somehow managed to lose the water and was in the middle of endless trees that all looked the damn same.

Leaning tiredly against one of those trunks, Michael tried to catch his breath.

He might not be badly hurt but there were many cuts on his body that ached a bit. Earlier he had washed most of them which stopped the most heavy bleeding but it still hurt. On the other hand, he was in no position to complain. If Ray had been serious he could as well be dead.

But the knights movements had been extremely slow for his standards and so Michael was able to dodge most of them. And even if the rapier found him, Ray had hesitated and pulled away.

It was like there had been two sides in his friend. The one who was attacking him, laughing loudly, looking like a hungry animal and the weaker one, right underneath the skin. His friend who tried so desperately to stop his own body, making the trained limps move like a puppet with worn out strings.

Of course Michael could have used Mogar to get out unharmed but the fear to hurt, maybe even kill Ray again held him back.

Mobilizing his strength, the warrior pushed on, knowing that he had to find the others before nightfall. Being alone here, hurt in the middle of some mobs was something he much rather liked to avoid.

It seemed like someone had read his thoughts because after only a few steps the familiar hissing was to his right. Not too close to be dangerous but still way too close for his taste.

Slowly turning around, Michael stood still, his hand resting on Mogars hilt. The natural camouflage of the creeper worked in this environment and it took the warrior some tense moments until he made the creature out.

It didn't seem to have seen him just yet and just when he decided to slowly back away, Geoff came into view. Michael wanted to warn him but the former king walked up to the creeper without any hesitation, pulling his sword.

It was strange.

Because even when the creature turned towards him, it didn't try to move closer. It rather wanted to flee. And then Geoff was in front of it and it didn't explode.

The blade beheaded the creeper with ease before the older man turned to face him.

The first king, the allfather.

Even the creatures residing in his kingdom seemed to know that.

“Thank god we found you!”, Geoff said before approaching him. It was like a spell was broken and Michael could breath again.

“Sorry. I got lost.”

“You are seriously the worst person to be left on their own!” Taking a hold on the arm of the warrior, he looked over the cuts: “Any of them serious?”

“No. They are just bothersome.”

“Ray?”

With some hesitation, Michael nodded: “I found him. And yes; I did talk to him.”

“His demon has to be incredibly strong.”, Geoff sighed deeply as if he was in pain.

“Aren't you mad at me?”, the warrior wanted to know. “I talked with the enemy. Aren't you worried I am going to betray you?”

“You are not a traitor, Michael. And maybe you have many flaws but we all have those.”, the former king explained with a firm voice. “But from all of us you have the most important gift.”

“I was never in the Nether, Geoff. I don't ha-”

“There is no need to be in the Nether sometimes. But after all you are the only person here who sees the things how they are. And you follow your own mind, that's something incredibly important. Something that most of us have lost and a thing some of us take advantage of. Yet you somehow managed to keep it. I envy you.” Putting a hand on the others shoulder, Geoff smiled warm: “Let's get back. Jack will patch you up and I cooked something. I'll show you the way.”

 

It wasn't raining, it was pouring. They had to flee under a tree, still getting hit by the drops but at least they were even remotely dry. Well most of them.

Ray and Gavin had been hunting when the storm had turned to the worst and they had decided to head back. The kings fever had finally broke and they didn't want to risk anything, still they arrived completely drenched. But their spirits had been high, laughing even when their wet hair hung in their eyes. Ryan had ordered them to sit down, threw the blanket over them while they waited for the storm to pass. That had been two hours ago and the moment they had been dry again, they had started to chase each other like little children.

The counselor let them, keeping an eye on them while he sat next to the fire. It was such a welcome change and listening to their breathless laughter was like a small present. They needed that. All of them.

So while he sew their ripped clothes to keep himself busy, they ran through the mud. It was then when Ray slipped that Ryan couldn't hold his laughter anymore. Gavin joined in seconds later, watching when his friend looked down at his dirty pants.

Still trying to catch his breath, he reached out to help Ray up, revealing the closed wound on his side. It had turned into a big scar, the skin dark and ugly but he could move. It was obvious that it still hurt but nothing compared to before.

“Enough now.”, Ryan called out. “If one of you gets sick again I will leave them behind!”

“But Ryan it's warm! We won't get sick!”

“Gavin, I won't repeat myself.”

The king rolled his eyes but Ray tugged at his arm and they sat back under the tree. Cuddling under the blanket, Gavin pulled the knight close, resting his chin on his hair. Ryan had noticed that before.

Ever since he had recovered from his infection, he kept Ray around himself even more. It worked. The tension of the knight had vanished and left room for smiles, even some laughter. It was as if Gavin was sucking out the bad thoughts that lingered around Ray.

It was a good change.

“Ryan would make a good housewife.”, the king announced and Ray nodded. Sighing, the counselor flipped them off, making both of them giggle.

“He can cook pretty good and now he even fixes our clothes. Thank god we kept him!”, Gavin continued.

“Maybe you should marry him.”, the knight added amused.

“Maybe I should! But we can't have two kings, can we? He would have to be the Queen! Are you alright with that, Ryan?”

“Queen Haywood.”, Ray said and both of them snorted.

Ryan rolled his eyes, ignoring the later part, he added: “You learn a few things to make things easier to yourself. Kids rip their clothes all the time and new stuff is expensive. It's easier to simply fix them.”

He felt eyes linger on him and that was when he realized what he had just said. Looking up, Ray watched him a bit surprised, while Gavin seemed more thoughtful until he continued to smile: “Tell us a story about your kids!”

For a moment he wasn't sure if he could, so he rather continued his work. But after only a few minutes, he chuckled quietly: “My son took better care of his clothes than both of you combined.”

“That's not true!”

“He also listened to what I said. Something both of you should keep in mind.”

 

“They are here.” Those were the words Ray said as he came into their little camp, throwing the small amount of wood he had collected carelessly to the ground. His steps were determined and fast while he marched towards the king, standing in front of him, waiting.

Gavin stared up to him, still occupied with skinning a rabbit but his hands froze now. His eyes shifted, searching for his counselor who came closer as well.

“They are following the stream. It's not that they are stupid; they know we need water.”

“They just won't give up.”, the king whispered bitter.

“What should we do? If we move now we can avoid them.”

“All three of them?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn.”, Gavin mumbled angrily before standing up. Thinking for a moment, he nodded: “I want to talk to Michael. Tell him about Jack; but I need to catch him when he is alone.” The green eyes roamed over both of them as he asked: “You guys think both of you can distract Geoff and Jack?”

“If you want to.”, Ray agreed immediately.

“But don't get in too much danger. If we need to retreat we will. I only need a few mi-”

“That won't work.”, Ryan interrupted him. “You really think Geoff and Jack are stupid enough to not notice when Michael and you don't join the battle?”

“What if we act like we are also fighting?”

“And have you come out unharmed? They will know that Michael is bluffing, you will just make it more dangerous for him.”, he nodded towards the knight. “Sent out Ray. It's more believable when both of them pretend to be fighting.”

The eyes of the king found his friend, seeing the concern in the brown eyes: “Ray?”

“I'm not sure if this is a good idea.”, he admitted, sounding scared all of the sudden. “What if I really attack him?”

“It would be only for a few minutes. Explain what we found out, fall back and give me a sign so that we retreat.”, Ryan added.

The knight thought about that for a moment, before he nodded hesitatingly: “I think I can do that. But can you hold both Geoff and Jack back that long?”

“I can.”, the counselor said determined. “Geoff isn't as talented with his sword and only Jack would be the problem. But I noticed that his heavy axe is weak against my enchantment. It loses its strong point. Gavin? Can you stand back and give me some cover just to be sure?”

“Of course.”, the king nodded eagerly. “But I won't kill them.”

“We just need to have their attention until Ray is back.”

Reaching for his bow, Gavin turned back towards them: “Let's be quick. Maybe we can surprise them and be gone before they even realized what happened.”

 

They walked in a closed group, obviously not in a hurry, seeing as they weren't on their horses. Probably looking for any kind of traces while chatting lightly.

That was what Ryan had seen before he dug behind a large tree, his sword already drawn. His eyes searched the leaves above him, taking a few moments to find Gavin. His coat was a good camouflage.

The king had his bow drawn, an arrow loosely between his fingers and his gaze was glued on Ray. The knight was in front, hiding in the crown of a tree for the others to pass.

Suddenly Gavin stirred, nodding once and the counselor got out of his cover. He saw how Ray dropped in front of Michael, aiming for him and making the surprised warrior retreat.

Geoff turned on his heels, reaching for his sword to help the younger man but Ryan was faster. He went right after him and their eyes met.

It was as if he saw the man for the first time even though that couldn't be. He had looked into the others blue eyes already, right before he had impaled his heart but now they seemed different.

The gentleness was gone.

The Nether changes people.

Jack took hold of the former kings collar and yanked him out of reach, making Ryan miss. The counselor dug under the battleaxe but had to retreat immediately when Geoffs sword came for him.

He tried to get some distance between him and the duo, but they were on him right away. For a second Ryan was sure they had suspected their attack but then he realized that they just fell into their routine. Their bodies moved in sync, more like a dance than a fight.

Geoff was faster, his strives prompt but not deadly as he just tried to occupy him while Jack reached out, much slower with his heavier weapon but so much more dangerous.

Ryan was forced to retreat, rather playing defensively. After all they just needed some time and it was better not to risk anything. Still it felt good to know that he had been right; the blacksmith had a hard time against his enchantment. It pushed the axe away, making him use a lot more strength than normally.

It was a rough fight. There was a blow after another and Ryan felt his arm grow tired from blocking but on the other hand he was too fascinated by their fighting style. When one of them left an opening, the other filled it immediately. Protecting offensive, not even grazing each other in their movements, their dangerous weapons so close to each other without even one of them flinching.

Maybe it was those fluid motions he watched so intrigued which let him forget about Gavin and that he was standing right in the kings line of sight. Now that he thought about it, his two opponents probably fought so close next to each other to use him as cover.

Gritting his teeth, he was mad at himself for noticing this so late but their style had been to absorbing, obviously trained over many year.

Ryan moved to the left but it was like they had waited for that. Or if both of them had adapted to his tactic already.

The axe slammed against his sword, got thrown back and in his routine he moved to block Geoffs sword next, only that Jack held against the knockback, bringing his axe right back down.

Losing his rhythm, Ryan struggled to get away, finding no time to do so.

It was an obvious choice in the end.

He blocked the axe which would have easily caved his head in while the sword ripped open his upper body. Hissing in pain, he still held his sword high, protecting his face. The axe was bounced back but in the corner of his eye he saw Geoff dug and this time his body was faster than his brain.

Jack used the momentum to his advantage, spinning around and Ryan tried to get away, trying to bring his sword between them. It collided with Geoffs weapon, getting pushed down leaving him completely open.

The axe buried itself with full power into his side, cutting through muscles and flesh like they weren't even there. The force threw him around as he grunted low.

It was a bit strange. It didn't really feel like he was badly hurt. It felt cold. Like everything beneath his rips was frozen and just wouldn't react to his commands. Right now he was having a hard time organizing his legs as he tried to tell them to turn his body back around. Because Jack was open but his back was also facing Geoff and that was a stupid mistake to make.

And then he felt the stab.

This one actually really hurt and he gasped for air. The blade of the diamond sword was ripping through his flesh and suddenly he wasn't sure if he had legs anymore because he simply fell.

He fell without any control over it and when he hit the grass his first impulse was to get back on his feet. Only that he couldn't.

He knew he was bleeding but all he felt was coldness creeping slowly up his body. He also knew that he had to do something. Turn around, get back on his feet, retreat. They were still behind him and like this he couldn't fight on.

His body didn't listen to his request.

 

With a last, calming breath Ray dropped in front of the warrior, missing on purpose before he got back up, his rapier again refusing to hit Michael but only barely.

The face of his friend was indeed priceless. He was absolutely shocked but it only took him a few seconds until he reached for Mogar. That was when the knight held up the hair clip briefly before making Michael retreat with quick but weak blows. However the warrior had understood, letting himself fall back until it seemed save to talk.

“It's not Gavin!”, Ray said immediately, seeing the confused look on the others face.

“What-” “It's not Gavins fault that all of this happened!”, he explained further. “Jack gave him the idea in the first place. It's not Gavin – it's Jack!”

“But why would Jack do something like this?”

“Why would Gavin do it? If he wanted to become King he could have just said it!”

“And if Jack wanted to, why did he go and brought Geoff back?”

Both of them stared at each other at the loss of words, confused and not sure who to trust.

“What if Gavin was lying?”, Michael asked slowly. “Jack told me he is sly and we both know he can manipulate us easily!”

“But maybe Jack is the one lying!”, Ray said on the spot, before stopping, realizing they weren't going to get any closer to an answer. “Someone is lying.”, he added finally.

“This is getting ridiculous! You know what I will do?”, Michael asked furious, lowering his sword. “I'll just ask Geoff what happened exactly! And if I need to I will ask Jack as well. All this cover up is just plain stupid! What is the whole purpose of all of this? What are we even fighting for anymore?”

“Don't ask me! I wasn't the one who just stormed into the throne room to attack us!”, Ray screamed at him, seeing the guilt flash over the others features before the warriors eyes flickered to the side. They grew wide as Michael opened his mouth but no word escaped.

The knight turned around, expecting to be greeted with an attack and not to see the huge axe break Ryans body. The ripping sound echoing through the forest was terrible and let his hair stand on end before he started to run. He wasn't fast enough to stop Geoff from stabbing the counselor but when the man hit the ground and Jack lifted his axe once more to finish the job, he was there.

With his full weight he crashed against the weapon, feeling the pain erupting in his shoulder, sharp and hot. The momentum threw him over the axe but the impact was enough so that it missed Ryan. Above him he could hear Jack grunt in surprise while he rolled over the grass, jumping back on his feet as soon as he could, dragging his dislocated arm with him.

Geoff was already wielding his sword, maybe going to behead the counselor and this time Ray knew he wasn't going to be fast enough. Still he sprinted forward but in the end it was a burning arrow that hit the former king in the chest.

Geoff gasped surprised, stumbling a step back before the blacksmith grabbed him, pulling him behind his own body. The next arrow hit his arm but he ripped it back out.

Ray managed to take a quick glance at the body laying on the ground, not able to tell if Ryan was even breathing anymore before he stood in front of him. Ready to be a wall if needed.

Licking his lips, he sent a quick prayer to whoever was listening to them before he inhaled deeply. The scent of blood was omnipresent and heightened his senses instantly. So maybe that was the reason Jack seemed to move so slow, leaving an opening where Geoff had been before.

He drove his blade into the others side, feeling the rush of energy running through his veins as the blood sprayed over his hands. But then Jack was pulled away and Geoff was next to him, his sword hitting his arm.

Gasping, Ray swayed before he stabilized himself, hauling his rapier to get to the others throat. It crashed against Mogar, stopping dead.

Michael was standing in front of the former king before he moved a bit to the side, blocking Jacks swing. The blacksmith swore but stopped his axe to not hit the warrior.

Ray snarled at him but his rage didn't seem to burn him up this time, seeing the determined look on the face of his friend. Then it was gone because dark fog engulfed them whole.

Ryan.

The knight nearly laughed out loud because he felt so relieved but it got stuck in his throat because he felt the Nether all around him.

The beast was here.

It was somewhere in this darkness and he felt the fear crawl up his skin. He carefully walked backwards as his feet got caught on something, making him fall with a yelp. Hitting the grass, the scent of blood became overwhelming and he took a hungry breath, tasting it on his tongue. It was then that he realized he could see again, the darkness right in front of him like a veil.

Screaming came from beyond it and he couldn't help but shudder. That calmed him back down and he turned, trying to brace himself.

Ryan was laying next to him, his head propped up on his fists, gasping violently as if he was forcing the air down his throat, refusing to simply stop. Shivers were running down his body in spasm and he was bathed in cold sweat.

Ray slowly reached out, unsure if he should touch him, before putting his hand on the others shoulder. The blue eyes found him and they actually seemed glad before Ryan closed them again. He bit down on his lips, his breathing stopping for a moment before he groaned in pain, his body falling back down.

Gavin stood next to them. Ray wasn't sure when the king had joined them but when he looked up to him, his face looked scared. So incredibly scared.

The knight followed his gaze down to where the blood was coming from. Ryans back was ripped apart, a mess of flesh and open bones that left a disgusting feeling in his mind. It was soon joined by the utter helplessness as the realization crushed him like a weight.

The counselor was dead.

All three of them knew that.

“Help me.”, Gavin spoke before he kneeled down, gently wrapping one of Ryans arms around his shoulder. Ray quickly put the others sword in the sheath, before he followed suit, flinching at the sudden pain. He looked down and seeing his dislocated arm with the shallow slash. It was fine though. He was going to heal soon and it could be worse; at least it wasn't his dominant side.

“Alright.”, he breathed out and with a grunt both of them lifted the wounded man up. Taking a moment to balance themselves, they began the slow progress of moving him on.

“Gavin...”, Ryan mumbled low. He was hanging limp between them, like a doll without any strings left.

The king shushed him down quickly: “Don't even start. Just help us a bit. Try to walk.”

“I can't-”, he choked out and it ended in a shaking sob. “I'm sorry. I can't walk. I can't do a single step. I'm sorry; please! Leave me behind, you ca-”

“It's fine.”, Gavin interrupted him and even when his face twisted in pain, he forced all the sorrow down. “We'll do it then. You think that's a problem for us? Ray, is it a problem for you?”

“Not at all.”, he panted, feeling the shock slowly come to him as he heard the shaking voice of the man between them. “Ray, you should be reasonable. Get Gavin out, I'll hold Edgar as long as I can but you two-”

“I can't go against the order of my King.”, he simply said but it only made it worse because now Ryan sounded like he was crying. That man shouldn't cry. That wasn't even possible because that man didn't sleep and that man never rested and the man always had a plan and most of all that man didn't cry!

With a quick glance, he looked at Gavin for guidance but his friend was just staring ahead, his face more determined than he had seen in a long time. So he didn't speak another word, pushing forward and ignoring the throbbing pain in his arm.

It wouldn't work long, he knew that. Once the healing was going to start, he would go out, but right now he tried to force it down. Because if Ryan could go on with his wounds, he could as well.

He wasn't sure who got caught in the roots but for a brief moment when they struggled for balance Ryans weight was on his shoulder. The pain was sharp and sent tears to his eyes as his knees buckled. It was the missing piece and they tumbled to the ground.

The knight grunted in pain, feeling pathetic about that when the counselor simply winced. They both stayed down, breathing heavily while their eyes met. The blue ones were foggy and buried in pain.

It hurt Ray just to see them.

“Please...”, Ryan mouthed right before Gavin was next to them.

“Get up! Come on, we have to flee!”, the king reached for Rays arm but let go on the spot when the knight yelped. For the first time he noticed the wounds on his friend and he was quick to apologize. There was hopelessness in the air before Gavin could shake it off, moving to the other side, dragging the healthy arm over his shoulder.

“Gav-”

“Shut up.”, he muttered while walking him around Ryan, crouching down to take hold of his arm as well. He tried to lift them both, feeling the counselor slipping away immediately. He lowered him carefully, trying to adjust his grip.

“That won't work. I can walk, just gi-”

“It will! I can do it! I just... I just need to...”, the sentence trailed of as the king tried to lift them again, this time managing to stand on his shaking legs. But when he took a step, he lost his balance and the older man slipped out of his grasp. That was the moment when Ryan couldn't keep a scream in and Gavin hurried to guide him back down as gently as possible.

“Sorry... sorry, I'm so sorry.”, he mumbled and despair crashed on him, making him shiver at the weight. “I'll burn it out!”, he blurted suddenly. “It helped me, so it'll help you too!” Carefully he turned the man on his back but Ray laid a firm hand on his shoulder: “We all know that won't work. Your cut was shallo-”

“So what do you want to do? Stay here and watch him fucking die? Is it that what you want, Ray?”, Gavin snapped at him.

“Go on.” Ryans voice was weak but it cut through them like a knife, making the air heavy. “You two have to get some distance between yourselves and them.”

The king stared down at him, before he shook his head: “No!” But the hand of the knight tugged at him and it felt so wrong because that would be the right choice but just thinking about it let his soul rot in his chest.

“I won't leave him, Ray! I won't just leave him here!”, he snarled. It wasn't Rays fault. It wasn't Rays fault at all, he knew that. But he had left Geoffs side and he had left Rays side and he had left Michael and he was oh so scared to do it again.

“Alright.”, the knight muttered, before moving to the other side where he sat down in the soft grass, ready to wait. Both of them looked back, the fog still visible but seemed lighter. No one was following them yet. They had probably fled, not even they were insane enough to risk getting in a fight with the beast.

“You damn fools.”, Ryan whispered brokenly before hiding his eyes behind his hand. They fell into silence and Gavin took his free hand in his own, simply holding it. There were many things he wanted to say but he didn't trust his voice right now. Also nothing seemed appropriate because it sounded like he was saying goodbye and he didn't want to.

It was Ray who started talking. “Has Gavin ever told you how we met? It's priceless, seriously.”, he asked with a gentle tone, not waiting for an answer because Ryan was obviously trying to compose himself. “So me and Michael were training and we were like what? Ten years old maybe?” He looked up to Gavin but continued fast, seeing the broken look on his friends face: “Anyway we knew each other since probably a year already and like I said; we were at the training grounds and there was this new kid and I am not sure what it was but Michael didn't like him. Maybe because he was just sitting there, watching without really training and then he even started to laugh when another kid slipped and that's when he crossed the line. You know Michael, he's not known for patience. So he simply walked up to the new kid and told him to shut his face. Well, ended with a good punch and I have to admit I laughed my ass off because that dumb kid just looked so shocked that someone would harm him! So he was having a nosebleed and that was pretty normal for us, if you don't watch out you get a hit, that's just how it is! But then our damn trainer came to us and told us that we might have just broken the nose of the fucking Prince Regent!”

Ryan cracked a smile and Gavin couldn't help but join in, when the knight went on: “In the end we were actually called for an audience by the King. Holy shit I was so scared, might as well just pissed myself! Also I didn't even do anything! Well, maybe I laughed at him but you should have seen his face! So we walk into the throne room and Geoff is there and Gavin is sitting next to him and I just knew we were screwed. And Geoff asks us to apologize and Michael... fucking Michael who was at least as scared as I was, sai-”

“I apologize for his shitty defense.”, Gavin quoted and both of them snorted at the thought. “And there was this moment of utter silence, I swear!”

“Geoffs face was priceless! That was absolutely not what he had expected! And suddenly he started to laugh; like this addicting laugh were he holds his stomach and nearly starts crying – you can't just not fall in at that! So me and Michael also started to laugh and Gavin looked so lost and hurt and that made it even better!”

It got easier then. It was as if Ray had broke a barricade because now the stories came easily and cleared the air around them. Somewhere in between Ryan let his hand sink, staring into the sky with heavy lids, listening with a glint in his eyes.

It was a fragile moment of peace and even when Gavin noticed, he was the only one still talking, he refused to believe it. Only when Ray swayed a bit before falling to the ground unconscious, it all broke down again.

“No!”, the king gasped, shaking his friend but knowing it was futile. The bones were already starting to move underneath his skin, getting back to their rightful place and the knight was going to wake up when he was finished healing.

Only that it would be too late and by then he was going to be alone and he didn't know what to do! His eyes found those of Ryan and he was so damn scared to make a mistake.

“Take Ray and get out of here.”, the counselor whispered but the king shook his head stubbornly. “I can't hold Edgar anymore... please. Please you two need to be gone before-”

“The others fled.”

“You don't know that.”

“I won't leave you here, Ryan. I'll hold them back if I need to.”, Gavin said, sitting back down next to him. Ready to be on watch as long as he needed to. Looking behind him, the darkness had faded but he couldn't make anyone out.

“Are you sure?”

“I am.”, he confirmed, surprised when the older one tugged at his arm. Still he followed the lead, nestling against the broken body. Out of habit, he rested his head on the others chest, listening intently to the heartbeat. It was slower than Rays.

Ryans breath brushed against his hair, hot and feverishly even thought his skin was bathed in cold sweat. The arms around him were closing in on him, holding him tighter and the muscles underneath him cramped up in pain.

Nothing more than a small whimper escaped the man.

And still he was the one who gently rubbed circles onto Gavins back, as if he was trying to lure him to sleep.

Gavin wouldn't sleep. His eyes were open, searching for any intruders that dared to step close enough. He wasn't going to allow it.

“Gavin...”, his name was nothing more than a breeze in his hair. “I won't make it out of the Nether like this.”

“Then I'll get you. You said you would do the same for me.”

It was a quiet and breathless laugh that greeted him: “Don't. You have more important things at hand.”

“Rya-” He had tried to sit up but was pushed back down.

“Please stay.”, Ryan mumbled into his hair. “Please stay and listen. The crown is yours. You know that right?”

He nodded hesitatingly.

“Maybe you think that Geoff is the better King and maybe that had been the truth but not as he is now. So you have to try everything to get back on the throne.”

“Alright.”

“Promise me?”

“I do.”

“Good.” His hand reached up, playing with the outgrown strands of hair: “Think before you act, you tend to move according to your feelings and not your brain. Listen to Ray. Also listen to Michael but not to Jack and Geoff. I think they will say terrible things to you and Ray and maybe you will believe some of those things are true. So you should only listen to the people who don't care about those things.”

Gavin nodded against his chest, biting down on his lips because he knew that Ryan was saying his goodbye. His hands were still clinging desperately onto the man.

The breaths hitting the top of his head were calming down and he could nearly feel the life slip out from beneath him. Slowly taking its time.

And when he sat up, the hands dragged again at him but there was no strength in them: “Remember that you told me? That sometimes you have to hurt someone and sometimes you have to hurt yourself because that's how a relationship works?”

“Sure.”, he breathed out tiredly. “That was when you told me that I was your mirror.”

“Yeah. I have one last request.”

Ryan had a hard time lifting his lids and it hurt like a stab into the guts seeing him like that. Gavin felt the sob swell in his throat, swallowing it back down: “When Ray killed you I shot those arrows at you.”

“I figured that much...”

“Did you feel the pain of that in the Nether?”

For the longest time the counselor didn't answer and Gavin already feared he had lost him. Then he blinked sluggishly before licking his dry lips: “No.” Even now there was a spark of understanding in the blue eyes, even if it was dull and confused.

“I think only the wound that kills you will haunt you in the Nether.”, Gavin explained, trying to hurry up but also making sure to make him understand what he was asking from him. “So if your cause of death isn't... isn't that right here..?” His courage slipped away with each word and now he teared up, choking on his own fear. But then Ryan nodded slowly and he forced himself to go on: “Let me kill you.”

He wasn’t sure if the older man choked or snorted but it ended in a twisted smile and rough coughs. Then his hand tugged one more time on his arm before moving to the back of his head when the king bowed down: “Alright.”

Gavin started to cry. Big tears welling up in his eyes, before rolling down his cheeks and he felt sick. So damn sick.

The hand moved through his hair, slow and gentle and warm like always until he calmed down. Ryan pulled him down, pressing his lips against the others forehead. “Thank you for staying.”, he whispered against the skin and his breath was hot and felt like death. “Thank you for keeping me. Thank you for allowing me to care.”

Sobbing, the king nodded, waiting until the other sighed content before closing his eyes. It was easy in the end because it didn't feel like reality.

That couldn't possibly be his hands that laid themselves around Ryans throat and couldn't possibly be his muscles that tensed, making his fingers dig into the tender skin. He saw the blue once more when the lids of the older man fluttered before falling shut again and he quickly decided to just pay attention to the hands that weren't his own. And those hands held on tightly for probably much longer than they needed, because the pulse that had pressed against the foreign skin had stopped already but he could understand. The only thing that was worse than this horror was to not do it right and have to start again.

And after a while there were a second pair of hands on top of them and they were gentle and warm as they finally stopped the first pair. Maybe those were his own because he refused to believe it were the ones which nails still held on to the throat as if to make sure.

Ray pulled him against his body but he couldn't lower his gaze because Ryan was dead and now they wouldn't be able to play chess anymore.

It made him sick seeing his body like this and he hated whoever was responsible for it. Then the hand of the knight gently covered his eyes and maybe that meant he was also dead because you closed the eyes of dead people, right? Maybe those hands had also killed him.

A heartbeat filled his head so at least Ray was alive and that was good. But the knight shivered and there were quiet sobs ripping through his body and that made Gavin sad. He could feel the tears sting in his eyes again, overflowing as he pressed the head closer to the others chest, searching for a bit of comfort. It was then when his face twisted in pain as he stretched his arms, trying to get as far away from those hands that were still claws and hurt from the tension.

Those were his own, right?

He started to scream at that thought, throwing his head back in disgust, trying to get rid of his blinding to see for sure what he had done. Rays free hand interlocked with the claws and the king started to trash in his grip, trying to get free of it. He didn't want to hurt Ray next. He didn’t want to use those hands again.

The knight overpowered him easily, pulling him closer before pressing his lips tenderly against his knuckles. Gavin howled at this, his teeth bared at him like a warning.

He didn’t listen.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry. I am so nervous what you guys think, omg.  
> But hey; final chapter next week! Might be a day or so delayed but I should be done with it soon. I hope you are all looking forward to it; I am absolutely terrified you guys will hate it xD


	15. King Geoff 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He wanted to go home!  
> Go home and sit on that damn roof! Was that too much to ask?  
> He wanted to sit there with his friends, talking about shit and knowing that this was Ray and he hadn't killed him and this was Gavin and he wasn't a demon and he was Michael. Just Michael.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being late with the last chapter but my boss was a bitch and I barely had any free time. But for the wait this chapter is the longest one yet!  
> But first of all you HAVE to check out the amazing fanart I got for this story:  
> http://sapphirianna.tumblr.com/post/92673434741/part-1-part-2-part-3-warning-contains  
> I can't thank you enough; I can't believe I got fanart for this! Wow, you guys are amazing!  
> So let's start right away. Have to admit I am not as happy as I hoped I would be with it but judge for yourself!

15\. King Geoff

 

_I've got nothing left to prove_

_'cause I got nothing left to lose_

_See me bare my teeth for you_

_Who, who are you?_

 

Michael collapsed on the ground when they finally reached a place to rest. A place that was hopefully far, far away from the beast he had just seen.

His back pressed against a tree, the arms tightly around himself he tried to control his shivering. It was hard because the memories were so fresh and even though the beast hadn't attacked him the fear had buried itself deep inside his body. It had chased after Jack, who had barely dodged but he had seen it and his instinct had taken over.

His feet had dragged him away, out of the fog with wide eyes and shallow breath. Not once in his life had he been so glad to hear the order to retreat.

Pulling his knees up to his chest, he buried his face.

That thing shouldn't exist, something like this shouldn't roam freely in this world. The aura it had sent of was full of despair and making him feel like a weak little boy facing an army.

Was that the Nether? Was that why everyone came out so broken?

He wanted to cry his eyes out. He wanted to cry because he was so glad he hadn't died and went there. He wanted to cry because he only had to take a minute to be in that presence. Most of all he wanted to cry because he had sent Ray there.

He actually did, only for a bit because he was scared and confused and he felt alone and guilty. Biting down on his lips to hinder any noise to escape.

He wanted to go home!

Go home and sit on that damn roof! Was that too much to ask?

He wanted to sit there with his friends, talking about shit and knowing that this was Ray and he hadn't killed him and this was Gavin and he wasn't a demon and he was Michael. Just Michael.

Whimpering, he hugged himself closer as he trembled violently.

There were voices nearby and wiping his running nose, the warrior looked up. Geoff was pale but determined, moving with ease to clean Jacks wounds. They weren't severe; his armor protected him from the most damage but there was a cut in his side. The blacksmith looked as shocked as he felt himself, otherwise he would attend the former kings wound. Or maybe not. What if Rays words had been right?

Michael shook the thoughts out of his head, watching how worried Geoff was and couldn't see the man who had just stabbed another who was already dead in the back. Immobilizing him just to make sure.

Ryan was dead by now, right?

Hiding his face in his hands, Michael took a shaky breath. Maybe he shouldn't be here. Maybe he should be with the others? True, that would be easier on him but he also knew that right here and now he was able to do more. Because he didn't care who got on the throne, he didn't give a damn about that anymore.

All he wanted was to keep them from mindlessly killing each other.

Great job he did on that.

Someone sat down next to him, pulling him close and he knew from the scent that it was Geoff. He let his head rest against the others chest, gladly taking in the warmth spreading through him.

“It's alright.”, the former king mumbled, a hand gently rubbing his arm. “I know it's hard on you. I'm so sorry.”

Michael couldn't reply. He kept his eyes closed because he was going to start crying like a little kid otherwise and he didn't want to do that in front of the man he looked up to. Did he still look up to him?

He wasn't even sure about that anymore.

“Do you want to go home?” Such a gentle voice; it was like a demon luring him in, it sounded too good to be true. “If you want to you can go. It's fine with me.”

It sounded so easy. But he would be no help then. A little hesitatingly, he shook his head.

“I'm glad.”, Geoff murmured, holding him until the shivering stopped. And when Michael finally felt that he could talk again without sounding like a scared child he did say what he had planned to: “It was Jack who gave Gavin the idea with the new law. That's what Ray told me.”

Maybe that would ease things, maybe that would make them worse. He needed to know though.

But the hand caressing his arm never stopped once: “I know.”

 

It was raining softly, it had been since a few days now and the sky continued in its depressing gray, making them rest earlier than both of them liked. The nights contained of huddling under a tree, as close as possible to share the warmth while waiting to fall asleep. It was a bit easier now because they had kept Ryans cloak.

It was now shielding Rays body against the weather and even though he had resisted first to wear it, Gavin had insisted. After all the older man had always wore it so it might as well be important to him. The knight also rode on his horse now, no need to share anymore.

It was only the sword that Gavin took. The enchanted diamond sword was on his hips and when they took a break, he trained with it. He had said that was all he needed and they were going to give the things back to Ryan anyway.

The moment they reached the portal.

It had been an obvious choice and that was something Ray didn't necessary like. Because Geoff would know their destination as well. But in the end they didn't need to be lured into the trap as Gavin rode towards it, head held high and the silver crown on top of it.

He had started to wear it again the day after Ryans death and when Ray had asked, he had said: “I am the King. And a King wears a crown.”

It was one of the few things they had talked back then. Conversations had become rare since that unfortunate day, which was kind of funny, seeing that Ryan had been the quietest out of them. His death lingered around them like a shadow, smothering the words in their lungs.

Still they searched for each other in the night, holding on like little children scared of a luring monster. Only that maybe they were the monster that people were afraid of and that was such a strange thought that they dropped the topic. They had tried to have look-outs in the night but both of them were too drained to do it and seeing that most nights were cut short with Gavin screaming in his sleep, scratching at his hands until Ray managed to calm him down, they needed every rest they could get.

So when they finally reached Echolon-Forest at the dawn of the day it was actually the first smile any of them managed to do. It was short and bitter but it was there.

They closed in on the clearing they knew all too well, leaving their horses behind before they decided to climb up a tree to get a better look. It wasn't really likely that Geoff and the others were going to be here before them but not entirely impossible and to stumble into their hands was something they wanted to avoid.

But the little camp looked the same as before, the same people sitting around lethargic, maybe some more had joined. Thinking about it, making it official that the Nether existed probably made Lindsays job a lot harder.

She was also still there. Of course she was.

Right now she sat next to another woman who was weeping into her hands, a small blanket pressed against her chest. It was a saddening scene and still the redhead smiled warmly.

Ray envied her for that talent, keeping his eyes on her until the king sighed next to him. Looking up, he followed his gaze scanning over the crowd. There had been a small possibility, the tiniest hint of hope that Ryan had made it out already but there were no familiar faces there.

Life was indeed cruel.

“Lindsay won't be happy seeing us again.”, Ray said quietly, the other nodding.

“You sure you want to go in there?”

“I'm scared.”, Gavin admitted. “What if I remember? What if I get lost in it? What... what am I going to do when it didn't work?” He stroked over the rough and bruised skin of his hand, a shiver running down his back: “What if I only made it worse on him?”

“He would have died anyway.”

“I know.”  
“Even if it didn't work you at least shortened his suffering.”

“I know.”

Ray observed the face of his friend, seeing all too clearly that even if he did know all of that it didn't matter. Because he had killed an ally and that sin was going to taint him forever.

He wondered if Michael had felt the same.

“You know.”, Gavin continued. “It might be safer in there than out here for both of us. Are you sure yo-”

“I'll follow you wherever you want.”, Ray assured him. “So if you say you want me to join you I will go but... I don't think I can. I think you have to drag me all the way because...” He shook his head: “This is beyond me. I'll be your shield, I'll die for you if I can but I beg y-”

Gavins hand shot out, taking a bruising hold on his arm: “Don't even think of dying! If I see you throw away your life I'll make you pay! And most of all not for me; we are a team. I'll get you out as often as I have to, any of you. We are going to get Ryan back, then we will beat Geoff and Jack, joining with Michael. And after all that we will come home and you know what? We do such a dumb festival again, got it?”

A nod.

“Good because that is the plan. And we better make it work.”

“Alright.”, Ray whispered.

“They are right on our heels, aren't they?”

“Probably. I am guessing that they headed this way right away.”

“So while you are out here you need to be careful.”

“I will be.”, the knight nodded before getting a pat on his shoulder. “Let's do this!”

They jumped back down and Gavin made sure that his quiver was full and Ryans sword on its place. Last time there had been no danger in the Nether for him but he had learned that even the tiniest risk could bring a huge loss with it. He rather played save on this one.

Pulling his scarf over his mouth, he gave Ray a small nod before they neared the clearing. The knight was right behind him until they stepped in the open and Gavin sprinted, dashing over the grass and only hesitating for a moment in front of the portal. With a quick glance over his shoulder, he gave one last wave before jumping in.

Taking a calming breath, Ray tried to ignore the pulling of the Nether, taunting him to step closer. It didn't work, seeing that he was just standing there, staring at the purple vortex. He only moved when he heard someone walking towards him, remembering his promise he just made.

Right now he needed to hide. Close to the portal but as invisible as possible. He needed to be a shield when the other two got out again, knowing that they wouldn't be able to protect themselves in that moment.

“What are you two doing here?”

“Hey Lindsay.”, he greeted her, actually taking a step back with her fierce approaching.

“Answer my question, jerk!”

“We need to get someone back.”, he simply said and there was a flicker of sympathy in her eyes before she shook her head, making the red hair fly.

“The fact that you two even dare to come back here! You fucking told everyone that the rumor of the Nether is true; do you have any idea how much work you gave me? How many people came here that I tried to talk to? You gave so many people hope I had to take again; are you happy?”

“Sorry but there was no way to-”

“I don't care!”, she interrupted him. “Now you sent Gavin in again to pull someone out, making it even worse!”

He observed her face, before speaking calmly: “It's worth it.”

There was understanding in her eyes: “Who is it?”

He opened his mouth to tell her. She was going to see it after all soon enough but something in the back of his mind told him to stop. It was then that he realized: “You lied to us.”

“Excuse me?”

“You said that Jack left alone, you said Geoff hadn't come back. You lied to us.”

She didn't deny it, she just stared at him, unashamed, not even remotely scared when he reached for his weapon. “He told me to. The King asked me to keep it a secret no matter what.”, she replied, her voice proud.

Ray drew his rapier, pointing it at her but she still didn't flinch. Her red lips moved with confidence: “All hail King Geoffrey.”

The knight knew he was fast but there was no time for him to react when something heavy hit the back of his head, cracking his skull.

Now the woman blinked in shock, catching the motionless body while looking up to Jack: “Was it really necessary to kill him?”

“He's tougher then you would imagine.”, the man simply said as he lowered the smaller axe. He sighed saddened before turning away, going off to find a rope to bind the knight.

Lindsay bit her lips while she guided Ray to rest on the grass, her breath hitching in her throat at the dented head and the gush of blood that was still coming from it.

That had nothing to do with toughness or how sturdy someone was; this guy was dead, no doubt.

“He can heal, you know?”, someone said quietly. It was a boy around her age, curls on his head and freckles over his face. A huge sword rested on his back. “That's what Jack meant. He's not really dead.”

His eyes darted to the knight and he crouched down opposite from her: “I'm Michael.”

“Lindsay.”, she replied before nodding to his weapon. “You can wield that?”

“Yeah.”, he smiled a little. It was warm and gentle, just like his hand on Ray before it turned somber again. “I'm sorry.”, he mumbled and she was pretty sure it wasn't directed at her.

Her green eyes darted from one to the other before she grew suspicious: “What are you doing?”

That actually made him laugh and it sounded a bit broken: “I'm not really sure anymore.”

It was probably the most honest answer she had heard in a while.

 

When Ray regained consciousness it was like always; waking up feeling refreshed but with a hidden exhaustion beneath it. He opened his eyes, trying to blink the blurriness away as he recognized the voices around him. Familiar and still they signaled danger.

It took every bit of control not to jolt up and jump at them but he knew that was stupid. Also they didn't seem to notice he was back again.

So he concentrated on what he could sense.

First of all he was sitting on the ground, his back against what felt like a tree. There were petals in his laps, bright red and they smelled really nice. It calmed his rushing blood down.

His rapier wasn't in its sheath; of course not. That was going to be a problem.

Trying not to attract any attention, he moved his arms a little but they were restricted. Probably with a rope.

This was bad.

Really bad.

Steps were closing in on him and he tried not to flinch but he seemed to have given himself away when a hand grabbed his hair, pulling harshly. With a wince his head hit the tree behind him and he was able to see his surroundings clearly.

Geoff was the one right in front of him, his eyes colder than he had ever seen them. Right behind him was Jack like always, a smaller axe still in his hand and his own rapier in his belt. All the way in the back stood Lindsay and Michael, the later looking as terrified as he was feeling himself. Both of them trying not to let the obvious show.

“I had such high hopes in you.”, Geoff said, sounding actually disappointed. “You were always so loyal.”

“I still am!”, he spat, feeling the grip tighten but that wouldn't stop him. “But only to the ones that deserve it! You were a great King, Geoff! Probably the best of all of us; kind and fair but you lost it! You are a mere shadow of yourself!”

“The Nether changes people. I won't deny it.”, he simply said, finally letting go.

Ray took a few calming breaths, trying to decide his next move. It probably wasn't going to work but if he could start a little ruckus he could buy some time.

“And speaking of loyalty.”, he began, forcing his mouth to smile. “Maybe you should look around you and see who's really on your side and wh-” The sword was on his throat immediately and he had no opportunity to avoid it.

“Don't you speak badly of my fellows.”, Geoff threaten and when Ray gulped he felt the coldness on his Adam’s apple.

“Then why did Jack bring up the new law? If he is so devoted to you.”, he replied, aware that this might end in a lot of pain for him.

But he could heal.

He had not expected Geoff to roll his eyes and sigh disappointed: “Well now I know where Michael got this stupid idea from. Stop being so narrow minded!” He pressed his blade against Rays chin, making him bare his throat as he asked: “Why should there only be one so called mastermind? Isn't it true that Jack and I always worked together as a team? How come I don't get any credit?”

The knight blinked confused as he furrowed his brows: “I don't understand...” But the sick feeling in his stomach proved his lie, he just didn’t want to.

“We both planned it.”, Jack said calm. “Even though I feel honored that all you guys think I pulled it off alone but I can't deny that fact.”

“But... but Geoff died!”

“Exactly as I wanted.”, the first king shrugged. “Didn't you see? I went easy on the Vagabond! And he was such an idiot to believe that was all I can do! He underestimated me and now he's dead!” Geoff chuckled a bit: “Damn, I even let him into my throne room on my own behalf! You really think I am that stupid?”

“Why?”, Ray asked disbelieving, his eyes huge. He remembered that day all too clearly. He remembered how he had begged Geoff to let him fight instead. “Why did you do all of that! What's the whole point!”

“It's really simple.”, Geoff explained eagerly. “I had no successor for the throne because Gavin had declined his title so this new rule was the perfect way to find a fitting person! Of course I still hoped for Gavin, seeing that he was going to have it easy – I taught him most things he needed to know and the moment I'd come out of the Nether I could help him again! It would have been perfect!” He pulled his sword away as he gesticulated freely, still delighted with his idea: “You were my second guess and actually Jack bet on you to make the first step! Well seems like he cheated because he actually provided you with your new sword and a crown, so those coins still belong to me!”

The blacksmith chuckled at that and the first king couldn't help but smile as well: “The Vagabond was just perfect! There wasn't a better person to challenge me! He had such a different and strict style, he must have been the bad guy in your eyes from the start – it was exactly what I wished for!” His face darkened a bit: “At least at first. Didn't think he was going to come back from the Nether as well and get all lovey dovey with you guys. That really ruined my mood. But besides that it went so well at the beginning!” And with that his eyes went cold again, the blade back to the knights throat, threatening to break the delicate skin: “That was until I woke up in the Nether, listening to all those demons, seeing their violence when I refused to give in to them! I realized what the survivors had done; selling their souls to grant those spirits a new home. It disgusts me that those creature roam freely in my kingdom! And then I heard that you also had died and came back, that you couldn't even find the strength to control your demon, giving in so easily! It was then that I began to ask myself; if Ray can't do it, how could Gavin? How could that small child do what one of my bravest knights couldn't?” A laugh came from the man, dark and twisted, so different from the old ones: “Wasn't the answer clear to that? I never had a child! That little boy that slept in my bed, that drew pictures for me, that told me so proudly about his newly made friends was a demon! It was all a facade! And in the end? In the end he sat on the damn throne! A monster like that should never step into my kingdom to begin with! It's my duty as a King to protect the people from danger like that!”

Ray stared at him for the longest time, his mouth a little open before his breath hitched: “We are humans.”

“A small part of you still is. I'll admit that but you are too weak to control the other side.”, the first king shrugged.

“We are humans.”

“Are you? If I stab you right now you'll get back up. Is that what humans do, Ray?”

“We are humans!”, he screamed as he bared his teeth. Trashing against his restrain, the rope bit into his wrists and the blade painted red patterns into his skin. He didn't care, he was too furious: “We have feelings, we have dreams! We are not the monsters! You are, Geoff! You are the monster! Gavin looked up to you! We all did! We all waited for you to come back but not like this! I am not a good person, none of us are but you are the demon! Out of all of us you are the only one to come back as a demon; you are t-” Jacks hand was big and solid as it collided with his face, throwing his head to the side: “Don't talk to him like this.”

Tasting blood, Ray took a moment to collect the senses he had just lost. Slowly looking back up, he muttered: “I talk to him however I want to. He is nothing to me.”

“I'm sad that you see it like that.”, Geoff sighed. “Any last words before we test how long you can heal until we finally kill you?”

Ray trembled.

He was in a helpless situation, wasn't he? Even if he had his weapon and was free, he couldn't dream of fighting back all of them. Michael probably wouldn't interfere. Maybe even help him but he couldn't be sure about Lindsay.

He wondered how much time had passed since Gavin went into the Nether and if he should expect him back soon. Probably not, remembering that it had took most of the day the last time he went in there. No counting on him and Ryan coming to his rescue then.

Taking a breath, he braced himself. There was blood on his teeth and on his lips as he grinned up at them, his choice so obvious: “Long live King Gavin!”

It was Jack who shivered because in the brown eyes he saw the same determination as all these years ago. When a small, slim boy stood in front of him and he had told him, that he was not tall enough and lacked the muscles to become a knight.

Ray would keep his tongue in check, biting it off if he needed to now.

“I am sorry that it turned out this way.”, Geoff said next to him. “Jack? How about we see how he thinks about that without his legs he is so proud of.”

Ray let his hands tangle in the rope at this words, pressing his lips into a tight line to not let any sound escape. Closing his eyes, he rested his head against the tree, praying that whatever was going to happen would happen fast.

 

The Nether was still the same. Unsettling, dark, hot and quiet.

Gigantic.

Gavin had moved up to a higher place to look over those lands, feeling his determination crumple. Even if he could search all of this, there was still the fact that he couldn't actually see Ryan. He had to get into contact to do so.

Also Ryan could still be really far away. When he had come here for Ray it had been weeks for him to get close to the portal. Only a few days had passed since Ryans death and Gavin didn't dare to leave the portal out of sight.

On the other hand Rays injuries had been much more severe. Hopefully. If his theory worked. Otherwise he had killed his friend.

It were the same thoughts that ran through his mind all day that were now freezing him on the spot. Shaking his head, Gavin tried to concentrate.

It wasn't as if he didn't have a small plan while coming here, right?

“Can you help me?”, he whispered into the deafening silence. “Can you tell me where he is?”

Nobody answered just like he had expected. Still he waited patiently.

It was like feeling that what he did was working, even though it didn't. Maybe he had also stopped making sense.

It was a flutter next to his ear and he turned his head, blinking against the sudden light. It was a bird and when he reached out it landed on his finger. There was fire in its feathers, warm and gentle against his skin and it left sparks behind when it flew. Right now it sat patiently there, the small head a bit crooked.

“Hey.”, Gavin whispered, smiling a little. All of the trouble because of such a little thing. It was a bit disappointing if he was honest. Not that he had expected a big creature like Edgar but this?

Maybe it was more fitting anyway.

It was a bit strange because he didn't really felt different or as if he was holding something. Just like when he created a flame – a bit warm but familiar. Not like another being, just a part of himself.

“I need to see Ryan.”, he continued. “Can you show me the way?”

The bird unfolded its wings before taking of and the king couldn't help but be surprised that it had worked. He followed the creature, watching with joy the freedom it had.

It flew back towards the portal and thank god this had worked; he had gone into the wrong direction from the start!

But then the trail of sparks ended as the bird landed on the black stone framing the vortex and Gavin frowned: “No! I don't want to go back! I want to see Ryan!”

The creature didn't react, the fire still burning in each feather. That was really pretty.

He reached out again and the bird glided down before sitting back on his fingers. Carefully, he patted its head. It calmed him down.

“Can you bring me to where Ryan is? Please?” Again the bird flew, circling above his head for a moment before heading towards the portal.

“No!”, the king hissed, shaking his head. That had been a stupid idea and he didn't have time for that! Turning on his heels, he stomped of. If needed he would do it in the old fashioned way! There was no way he would let Ryan stay here!

The bird was in his face and he nearly swatted it away like a bug. He stopped himself, not knowing what damaged he might cause because of it. If he angered his demon he might lose control. He didn't want to end up like Ray.

It headed to the portal again before coming back to him as he didn't move. Confused, he watched it a few times before allowing the bird to land on his bruised hand. “I don’t understand...”, he admitted confused. “I want to see Ryan, not Ray. I have to get him out!” No reaction and he huffed in frustration. It felt unsettling because he didn't want Ryan to stay here any longer then he had to, but now something was pulling him back, lingering like a dark foreshadowing.

Gulping, he watched the wideness of the Nether, knowing how tiny his hope was to find Ryan without help. But he had to!

Biting his lip, he raised his hand above his head. Maybe it was a simple question after all: “Show me where I should be.”

 

When he stepped out of the Nether the sun had risen higher, indicating the passing of time. It was still so strange to him because it had only felt like a few minutes he had spent in the different realm.

Ray didn't show up.

Ray didn't come towards him, asking why he was back without Ryan or if something happened. Gavin stood there alone, not even the people waiting were approaching him, looking too scared to do so. Lindsay wasn't among them.

Something had happened.

Licking his lips, he looked around for any clue and between the trees he could make out a tiny spark. It could have been the sun reflecting on something or wings with feathers in which fire burned. He couldn't be sure if the bird was able to exist outside the Nether, it never had before but that didn't stop him from running in this direction, dashing through low hanging branches.

He should be quieter but panic was fogging his brain, not giving him room to think besides the fundamental fact that he had left Ray alone.

Then he heard voices and stopped in his tracks, recognizing Geoffs words immediately. They were to his left and he knew they had his Ray.

With quick movements, he climbed a tree, nearing the voices carefully until he could see them.

There were Lindsay and Michael, standing in the back both looking unsure and pale. Jack and Geoff were closer to him and it took Gavin a moment to make out the knight. From here he could only see his bound hands but they were moving so he was alive.

The king let a shaking breath out he hadn't been aware he was holding. And then he heard his voice, steady and strong: “Long live King Gavin!”

Such warm words. It spread through him like an embrace.

“I am sorry that it turned out this way.”, Geoff said and it was so cold in comparison. “Jack? How about we see how he thinks about that without his legs he is so proud of.”

Gavin felt his eyes grew big with shock as a shiver run through him. That couldn't mean-

Jack reached for his axe and the king found his bow, ripping an arrow from his quiver. He couldn't aim for the blacksmiths throat from this angle but maybe he could blind him.

He adjusted his arrow before he froze in place, the bowstring already pulled back to graze his cheek.

_Think before you act._

Ryans voice was so clear in his ear that he could almost tell himself he was sitting right next to him.

Was this the right move?

“Geoff!”

The green eyes moved to the warrior who had stepped up.

“Geoff, please! There really is no need fo-”

“Be quiet, Michael.”, the first king told him. “It has to be done!”

“Please, I beg you!”

“Beg me?”, Geoff chuckled darkly. “You should be glad you don't have to dirty your hands. If you can't watch, leave now. I won't hold it against you.”

Michael shook his head, his skin even paler than normally. He turned his head to Lindsay as if he was searching for guidance. Or another sane person around.

Gavin bit his lip hard, wondering what Michael would do if he just showed himself right now.

_You tend to move according to your feelings and not your brain._

Ryan, again. It brought him back to aim his arrow at Jack, watching with horror when the axe was lifted. What would happen if he shot him now?

If he hit and blinded him, there was no way he could attack Ray, that was for sure. But Geoff? What was going to stop Geoff to simply charge at his friend? He was even going to be in cover.

Maybe... maybe he wasn't the only one moving according to his feelings?

Gavin shifted his weight, turning to the side as he aimed. The string slipped from his fingers and the arrow hit his father in the chest, making him stumble a step back as he yelped surprised.

The blacksmith turned around, stopping in his movements when Gavin reached for the next arrow. And it did work; Jack let the axe fall, trying to get to the former king.

“Don't move, Jack!”, Gavin screamed threatening, pulling the string back again. “If you move one step closer the next one goes right through his skull!”

For a moment everybody froze and the king took the time to catch his breath. His heart was beating in his chest, he was so nervous to make a mistake. It had actually worked! So were they wrong and Jack was really on Geoffs side or was he just keeping up his charade? Hopefully he had time to think about that later.

“Step away from Ray and look at the ground. If I see a single glance to Geoff he is dead!”, he ordered, knowing that they both could communicate with way more than words.

For a moment he considered sending someone there to free Ray but he didn't trust anyone near him. Maybe Michael but he didn't want to risk it.

Jumping down, the king landed on his feet, the impact forcing him to crouch but in a fluent motion he aimed again.

Geoffs eyes found him, a hand tightly clasped over his wound as he looked incredibly surprised: “You shot me!”

“Wasn't the first time.”, he replied as he got back to his feet. Seeing the blood up close hurt, but he swallowed it down, slowly stepping closer to where Ray was.

“Guess that's true. Didn't help the Vagabo-” The next arrow hit him in the shoulder and even though Gavin couldn't help but wince, he drew the next one. Jack screamed at him right as Geoff found his balance again, standing straight. There was pride in the blue eyes and it hurt more than he could imagine. He had hesitated before to shoot him when they fought Ryan and knowing this burned deep inside him. It wasn't going to happen again.

His scarred hand holding the string shook a bit and he had to blink to see clearly. “Leave us alone.”, he whispered as tears tickled down his cheeks. “Please Geoff. Just go!”

“I can't do that. It's my duty to protect the country.”, was the reply.

“Not anymore.” Gavin took a calming breath and the tip of his arrow ignited: “I am the King, chosen by your own law.”

“Not if I kill you, demon.”

There was so much hate in that voice he recognized so well. The voice of stories and warmth, of happy lies and curing laughs. Gavins lips quivered until he pressed them together tightly. Collecting himself, he said: “I ban you from this kingdom.”

“You can't b-”

“If you step a single foot back into my borders you will be beheaded!”, the king screamed. His bow snapped in half and for a moment he was so shocked that he couldn't think. It couldn't have taken long because the axe just hit the tree next to him, having cut through the flexible wood with ease.

Somewhere next to him Ray screamed his name.

With huge eyes, he turned his head as the useless arrow clattered next to his feet, watching when Jack threw his next axe at him. Something heavy collided with him, knocking the air out of his lungs as they hit the ground, rolling through the dirt. A hand held him down as Michael sat back up: “Geoff! Jack! Please stop! This is madness! Don't you see it! Am I really the only one?” For a second his eyes locked with Lindsays because maybe, just maybe he was not: “Where will this even end? Has any one of you ever thought about that? No matter how much I think I can only see death ahead! This is just a bunch of crap that no one will win!”

“Michael, step out of the way.”

“No, I will not!”, he screamed at the top of his lungs. “Ryan is already dead and what did you gain from that? An opportunity to kill more people!”

“I got rid of a demon!”, Geoff started but his voice got swallowed in the one from the warrior. “I don't care if they are demons! I lived with them, I worked with them, I laughed with them and to me they are humans! Please! Please stop this!”

“Michael, I know that you are confused but please believe me: this is for the best of everyone.”

“It is not! There won't be an end to it! If you don't kill one of them the right way, they will come back because no matter what, they will go in there to draw the other out! Isn't it the same with you? What if Jack was thrown into the Nether? What if you were thrown in it? This will never end!” The face of the warrior was flushed as he screamed, his eyes wet with unshed tears as the desperation carried his voice higher: “And don't tell me it's for this fucking kingdom! Neither of you have the right to say they are the King because each one of you is simply seeking destruction and revenge! Who is leading this country right now? Nobody! We are all just here hurting each other and the throne is empty! This is bullshit!”

“If you are siding with the-”

“I am not siding with anybody! Why won't anyone of you understand that!”

“Michael, I don't want to hurt you. You've be-”

“Just come at me then!”, the warrior screamed, his voice hoarse by now as he snarled at the former king. “I can beat you! I can beat every single one of you and every single one of you knows that!” He drew Mogar, the blade glittering deadly in the high sun: “I don't care if you attack me alone, Geoff or if you bring an army! I don't care who fights me, just bring it on! But I won't fight back like a stupid animal!” He thrusted his sword deep in the ground, before looking up again: “I won't play your goddamn game anymore!”

He started to step towards the first king when another hand held him back. “Don't! Please!”, Gavin begged, his fingers digging deep into his skin. “He'll kill you! He wil-”

“Don't touch me, Fool.” Michael shrugged him off like a bothersome insect before he continued walking towards Geoff, his arms stretched out, leaving him wide open: “Come and fight me, old man! If that's what a king has to do, then prove that you are one!”

The first king actually reached for his sword but let his hand rest on its hilt, obviously unsure of what to do.

It was Jacks deep voice that broke the sudden silence: “If you step any closer I will consider this as a threat.”

“Of all the people here you are the one stopping me?”, Michael asked while halting and turning towards him. “Did you ever thought what is going to happen to us, Jack? That both you and I are taking the highest risk right now? If one of us dies we will be thrown in the Nether and we can't just walk back out! Do you want that? Do you want to be trapped in there? I don't! I am scared of that place but you know what? They will come and get us out! If it's Geoff or Gavin or even Ray! They will head through that damn portal and get us back out – isn't that damn sweet? Isn't that just warming your heart? Because they care so much about us and they want to keep us around! So that this whole thing can just start all over again; it's just damn great!”, he huffed, shaking with rage. “I thought that at least you could see that? I thought that at least you were going to help me to stop this madness! Aren't you his mirror or some shit?” He pointed furiously at Geoff: “Shouldn't you tell him if he gets out of hand? Shouldn't you give him a pat on his back and tell him that none of this makes sense anymore? Isn't that your damn job, Jack? Isn't that what you did all these years? Why did you stop right now!”

“Micha-”  
“No! I don't want to hear anymore stupid reasoning and apologies! I demand that you stop this!”

“I will.” And Geoff was actually coming for him, his sword in his hand and a painful expression on his face. Michael wondered if he was actually going to kill him as he turned towards him, stretching his arms.

Lindsay stepped in front of him, so fast and quietly that he first doubted it had really happened. The woman he had just met shielded him, a scythe in her hand but only to defend herself, not raised to attack.

“Not even sure what's happening anymore.”, she muttered under her breath so only he could hear it. “And not sure if you are the sane one here or not, but you sure as hell have a lions heart.” Then she looked over her shoulder, her eyes sparkling and wild and with red strands in her face, some clinging to her lips and he really wanted to watch that for a bit more, but someone yelled behind his back and he turned around.

Gavin ran with a sword in his hand and Jack came from the opposite side, both of them heading for Ray. The king got there first, finally cutting the rope restricting the others hands. The knight barely had time to dug when the big battleaxe hit the tree, sinking into the bark where his head had been seconds before. He rolled out of reach, before he darted towards Gavin. They met and Ray reached for the weapon but stopped in his tracks when a hand settled on his cheek. It was an intimate moment when the fingers gently wiped away the blood of the others chin, watching him so worried and scared that it hurt. For the briefest of moments their foreheads touched as the king pulled them together, lashes sinking with a relieved sigh.

It was over in a second before Gavin circled his friend, his eyes enraged and full of flames. The axe crashed on the sword, getting repeled instantly but the impact also made the king stumble.

Ryans sword but he wasn't Ryan.

It was all they needed though because Ray was fast and he took hold of his rapier and ripped it from Jacks belt. He could attack now; the opportunity was there. But Michaels words were ringing in his head so he simply took a hold of Gavins arm, keeping him on his legs.

Finding his balance again, the king looked towards his knight and knew without a single word that he was alright, that he could take it. So Gavin turned around, setting his eyes on Geoff and charged at him. It was Michael who noticed it first, quickly running to get his weapon before standing in his way. Ryans sword crashed against Mogar and both of them were getting knocked back. The warrior crashed into Lindsay who first staggered before holding both of them up.

The king barely stayed on his feet, growling low before trying again to get past them. This time the scythe unwrapped and held him back, making him yell in frustration.

“Fool!”, Michael screamed at him. “I'm just trying to keep you alive!”

“I can take him!”

“No you can not!” Why didn’t they understand how futile all of this was? Not even Gavin? The one who hated the fight the most was now blindly searching for it. The green eyes had lost their light, being scarred through betrayal and loss.

Lindsay gasped behind him and Michael turned around, noticing Geoff running towards her.

“Down!”, he said and she dropped to her knees, her scythe still holding back Gavin. Mogar strived over her head, hitting against Geoffs sword with a loud clang. He didn't grant the older man any time to react, forcing him to retreat.

In the corner of his eyes he could see Ray and Jack fighting, the knight usually fast enough to dodge the slower blows but way to reckless to avoid wounds if it just meant to inflict some as well. And Michael felt his hope slip away because there was no way he could stop them. He couldn't be everywhere at once.

Maybe his way was also futile.

“Watch out!”, Lindsay screamed at him and he blocked a blow from Geoff before throwing a quick glance behind his back. Gavin was also coming for him and he swore under his breath. It turned into a loud gasp when heat hit him in the face and he had to stumble back to not get burned by the flames that had appeared between him and the first king.

Gavin was next to him and he tried to get a hold on him but he jumped without any hesitation, diving through the fire.

“Fuck!”, Michael yelled, a hand raised to shield his face from the heat, stepping back. For a moment he considered following them but he knew he couldn't without burning himself. A few painful seconds he just stood there, undecided before he swore again and turned around.

 

Ray knew he was playing a dangerous game but he also knew he could heal. By now the axe had only grazed his skin, drawing blood which heightened his senses. Only that Jack seemed to foresee his very move, deflecting it oh so easily. He knew it was because he had trained so often with this man that he knew the pattern he didn't even know himself.

So it was a matter of time before one of his moves was too obvious and with quick reflexes the blacksmith stepped to the side, ready for a mighty swing.

Ray knew he couldn't block with his slender weapon, it would simply break under the impact but right now he had no other choice.

Michael was suddenly in front of him, holding Mogar with both hands like a shield to compensate the hit. Even though he burried his feet into the dirt and his sword was the only weapon to be strong enough to take the swing, he lost his ground. For a moment the knight held him up before both of them fell down, rolling over each other until they came to a halt.

“Don't interfere!”, Ray snapped at him as he tried to get up but his limps were somewhere tangled with the others.

“Shut your mouth! I fucking saved you, how about a little gratitude?”

“Bite me!”, the knight replied before looking around. Because if Michael was here, he wasn't looking after Gavin and if no one was looking after Gavin it should be his job. His eyes found the flaming circle and he felt his heart miss a beat. He couldn't see Geoff anywhere. Jack seemed to be occupied with Lindsay so this was a perfect opportunity.

He got to his knees, ready to start running when the warrior wrapped his arms around his middle, forcing him back down with his sheer weight.

“Let me go!”, Ray hissed as he tried to wiggle out of the grasp.

“What do you think you are doing?”

“Saving Gavin! He's in there with Geoff, right?”

“Oh, so you just walk through those flames? Great plan!”

“I can heal!”

“I can heal!”, Michael mimicked with a snotty voice. “Sure, I'll let Gav know after you get to him all crispy an-”, his sentence ended in a yell when Ray reared up beneath him, throwing him of. Reaching out mindlessly, he managed to grab the others collar before the idiot could actually run away. Yanking him back down, rolling on top of him: “Stop being so fucking stupid!”

“Stop getting in my damn way!”, the knight screamed back. He managed to throw him off again, rolling on top of him before Michael simply used the momentum to pin him right back down: “You'll just get yourself hurt!”  
“I can heal, why don't you ge-”

“If you say that fucking sentence one more time I beat your fucking gift out of you, I swear!”

“Michael! If you don't let me get to Gavin I will hurt you!” It didn't even sound like a threat more like a warning and the warrior shivered a bit from it.

“Oh yeah? I want to see that!”, he said nonetheless because there was no way he was backing down anymore. But he hadn't expected that Ray let go of his rapier, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“How about you think for five seconds about it: you can't help him!”

“Michael-”, he hissed. “Ray.”, he hissed right back, watching how the other closed his eyes to compose himself.

“You can't get to him! He locked you out and there is nothing that you can do to-” Rays lids fluttered back open and Michael watched how the pupil widened, swallowing the brown around it. His instincts told him to defend himself and right as he lifted his arm his world flipped again. He tried to get back on top but the knight threw his weight against him, keeping him down. Teeth buried themselves in the soft flesh of the underside of his arm, making him gasp in pain. Out of reflex his free fist hit against Rays temple, only making him bite down harder.

“Ray!”, the warrior shouted, his finger twisting in the dark hair before he pulled. A deep growl came from the other while the blood lazily dripped down his chin.

“Let go you stupid brick! That won't get you closer to Gavin in any way!” Something wet pressed against his flesh and he realized it was the others tongue. He stared in his eyes and couldn't find his friend in them anymore, the pupil now fully blown.

“I am not talking to you!”, Michael screamed angrily, bearing his own teeth. “You can go back into the Nether for all I care but I won't let you take Ray with you! You are not going to hurt him just because you have some sick obsession!” He pulled the knights head forward, crashing his own against it. Pain stabbed into his forehead but the pressure on his arm faded when Ray flinched away.

The warrior sat up, watching the brown get back in the shocked eyes of his friend. His lips were red and his teeth shone pink when he backed away, a trembling working through his body. Then his face contracted in sorrow, tears drowning the fresh brown as he wiped over his mouth with frantic rubs.

Michael reached out, pulling him close and holding him tight.

“No! No, no, no!”, Ray started to scream, trying to get free, to get away so that his friend was safe from him but the warrior just crushed him against his chest.

“Shut up!”

“Michael, no! Please!”

“It's alright! Calm down!”

“No!”, he squirmed against the grip before both of them looked up. Jack was passing them. Jack and Lindsay, both with their weapons down and without paying any attention to them.

“What do you thi-”, Michael began but the woman gave him a hard glare.

“Shut that pretty mouth of yours for once, alright?”, she replied in a tone that made him lose his words. So they simply watched them heading towards Geoff, the flames finally burned down.

 

Gavins knees hit the other on the chest and made him fall. The impact letting the air in Geoffs lungs disappear with a heavy huff as the others legs slid off, pinning his sword arm to the ground. The king tried to do the same on the other side but the older one was faster, ripping it free and taking a hold on the kings wrist, pushing the sword away from him. Gavins elbow found his way under the others throat, pinning him down as they gasped harshly. Both pushed against their restrains, trying to break free but only finding themselves in the same stalemate. Gavins arm shook under the tension to bring Ryans sword down but Geoffs arm didn't budge in the slightest, the blade still too far away from his chest to be dangerous.

“You can't even do it right.”, the first king laughed. “You know this won't stop me for long.”

“Shut up.”, the other growled. “This sword killed you before, it knows what it does!”

“Yeah, it did a great job the first time around.” Geoff laid his head in the neck, offering his throat: “Come on. I figured it would work if you behead someone!”

“Shut up!”, his voice shook with emotion.

“Or you could cut off my leg and kill me then, this should work as well. Might take a few swings with th-”

“Shut your damn mouth!”, Gavin screamed, feeling sick in his stomach just thinking about it. His hand trembling but he refused to relax his arm, sweat trailing down the skin but it wasn't from the heat.

“Burn me, but I would like you not t-”

“Geoff!”

“Could also just immobilize me like the Vagabond so tha-”

With a howl, the king lunged forward, actually bringing the sword down. The blade sunk into the ground next to Geoffs head and he didn't even flinch.

“Don't talk about him! Don't you dare insult him!” Gavin was bend above him, breathing heavily through gritted teeth. It was then that he rose the arm holding the older man down, so that the hand could cover his eyes, his next words nothing more than a whimper: “He was my mirror, Geoff. He was... please. Please stop.”

Through the gap between his fingers he could see the blue eyes soften at those words and trembling, he hunched closer, letting his head rest on the others chest: “Please stop all this.”

“I can't.” Geoffs hand holding his sword moved but the king still pinned it down with his leg. “It can only stop when the demons are back where they belong.”

“Don't take Ray!”, Gavin begged with a shaking voice. “Please, I'll do anything! Just don't take Ray and don't take Michael. I can't... if you take anything more I just can't go on... I don't know what to do.”

“Don't make this so hard on me, Gav.”

A fist crashed on his shoulder before unwinding and holding tightly: “You think this is hard for you? I am nothing without them! And you take and take and take! Michael is right; this will never end!” His voice was high pitched before it broke into a sob: “If I could I'd just go and leave the throne to you. I can't- I just can't let you become king, not as you are right now. I'm sorry. But I'll do good.” Nestling his head deeper into the others chest, he tried to find something to calm himself in the familiar smell. Tried to find the strength to let his next words not sound as desperate as he felt: “I promise I give it my best! I'll do what you taught me, I'll be good! I'm ready now, I can do it! I have everything I need! My sword, my shield and my mirror, just like you always said! Please Geoff! Please stop this!”

His scarred hand slipped from Ryans sword but he couldn't help but curl up as he sobbed loudly: “Just don't take them away. Please don't take them away again. I beg you; I'll be good! Don't make me kill you!”

There were two arms around him and he could feel the hilt of a sword pressing into his back and the familiar touch let the fire around them die. He wailed at the top of his lungs, not even sure if he should be afraid or relieved by the touch but it didn't matter because right now he was just hot tears and hitching breaths and broken sobs. Desperately, he slung his trembling arms around the neck of the other, pulling himself a bit higher to cry into his shoulder.

“Pl-please! I don't w-wanna! I want to g-go home! I wanna wake up, Geoff!”

The grip around him tightened at those words and a shaken swearing hit his ears: “I'm so sorry, buddy. But I can't be sure. I can never be sure if you are telling the truth.”

“G-geoff!”

“I can't risk it. I am sorry but I have to. I never wanted this to happen; I wish it was different. I really do.” He carefully sat up and Gavin slipped into his lap, still clutching tightly. His breaths were little whimpers as his eyes were still shot close, tears hot against his chin: “Geoff please... Geoff please let us go home! I wanna go home!”

“You are a demon.”

“I am me!”

“I know.” He drew circles into the others back with the hand that wasn't holding his sword: “And that's what is making this so damn hard. We can't go home anymore.”

Gavin whined at that, feeling the familiar stubble rub against his temple as Geoff pulled him closer, whispering in his ear: “I love you, buddy. Don't ever forget that.”

“Love you, too.”, he replied sniffing. He knew that Jack was standing behind them, he knew that both of them were looking at each other, communicating. It scared him so he hid his face in Geoffs neck.

“We should just test what happens if he stays King.”, the blacksmith suddenly said. “We can still interfere when he becomes dangerous.”

Geoff started to laugh at that. A warm but still twisted laugh: “Yeah, that sounds like a plan!”

Confused Gavin lifted his head, blinking against the tears to look at both of them, surprised to also see Lindsay but something hit his head hard. His body went limp against his father, the head rolling against his shoulder and he was gone.

 

There was a moment when Ray tried to jump to his feet to rush in but Michael pulled him back down. For a second he wasn't sure if it was a right choice because Gavin was knocked out easily but he simply knew that everything was going to escalate again when he let the knight run free. And he couldn't feel any danger for the king because Geoff was cradling him, holding him tight while Jack was talking.

He didn't look up when Lindsay continued but in the end he nodded, burying his face in the messy hair of the king before standing up.

He was carrying Gavin towards them and there was probably nothing that could hold Ray back this time and he nearly pulled the warrior on his feet as well. But then he simply waited until the first king stood in front of him, his body tense but he didn't dare to make a move.

“I will offer you a deal.”, Geoff said slowly, before looking over his shoulders. It was like a silent question for help because Jack continued: “We are ready to retreat for now under a condition.”

“What condition?”, Michael asked before standing next to the knight, prepared to grab him if needed.

“Gavin stays King but you have to take Lindsay with you into the castle. She will be our eyes and our ears. She will decide if you guys lead this kingdom the right way.” His eyes wandered to Ray: “Like a human. And if she sees a single action or a single discussion that worries her, we will come back and take the throne. This time we won't hold back and if needed we will kill any single one of you. Also don't even think of attacking her – we will know.”

“Are you for real?”, Ray asked skeptically. “Why would you do that suddenly? Why this whole thi-”

“None of your business.”, Jack interrupted him sternly. “Agree or disagree.”

“Of course we agree.”, the warrior mumbled and watched as Geoff stepped forward. Ray gladly took hold of Gavin, a sigh of relief going through his body. There was a hand placed on his shoulder and he looked up with a defensive look, ready to launch himself at the first king.

“You look so small without your coat. You should get another one.”

The knight nodded slowly, not sure himself if because of an agreement or because he wanted to react in some way.

“And Michael I have high hopes in you.”, Geoff continued. “You are strong-minded and have a lion heart as Lindsay puts it. With a little more you can become a mirror yourself, try to help Gavin with that gift of yours.”

“Gavin already has a mirror.”, Ray muttered before the warrior could reply.

“I know. But the Vagabond is dea-”

“He'll come back. I know it.”

Geoff watched him intently before he shrugged: “If you say so.”

“Where will you guys go?”, Michael asked finally.

“Not far. We'll be here faster than you can imagine.”, Jack replied with a voice that made sure they shouldn't forget this. His hand took hold of Geoffs arm, tugging lightly: “Come now.”

The first king threw them a last longingly look before turning around. They had barely gotten out of sight before the blacksmith sighed deeply: “I told you from the start you wouldn't pull through it.”

“You were the one stopping me.”

“All of this went out of control, it was my job.”

“Shut up!”

“Your heart is simply way too soft. Not going to say that's a bad thing but this time I nearly thought I'd be wrong. That you would take back your crown.”

“Well I really thought they were demons. I still do. But Gavin begged me to take the throne. He even said it was going to be the best for the kingdom if he stayed the king. Do you have any idea how much I dreamed to hear these words?”, Geoff gushed with a light voice.

“I know.”, Jack smirked. “They have grown a lot. All of them.”

“Yeah. I am not yet sure if it was for the best but we will see.”

“What about Ryan?”, the blacksmith asked slowly. “Ray seemed pretty sure he was going to come back.”

Geoff threw him an interested look upon hearing the first name before he shrugged: “I can't think of a way how he could survive the Nether like that, but you know him better than I do. What are your thoughts?”

“He is not the pawn you hoped he would turn out to be.”

“No. I guess not.”

 

Someone was playing with his fingers and Gavins first real thought was that this was a really strange thing to do in this situation. Then he realized he wasn't sure in which situation he actually was and that he should open his eyes to find out. His lids fluttered open and he winced at the sudden light of the setting sun.

Blinking a few more times to get used to it, he made out Lindsay next to him, her hair like fire while her eyes rested on him. His own hand held between hers and now he could smell the fresh scent of balsam.

“What are you doing?”, he asked, surprised that his voice slurred a bit. Thinking about it, his head really hurt.

“You had a lot of scratches. If you don't attend to them they will scar over.”

“That's fine.”, he muttered. “They remind me.”

“Of what?”, she asked and for a moment he didn't know. When the memories came back to him they burned like fire in his lungs. Just like every time he woke up. Only that it wasn't Ryans dead alone, it was Ray tied against the tree and Jack with the axe. It was Michael screaming while he tried to hold back tears and it was Geoff. It was Geoffs smell and his arms around him and the familiar voice telling him sweet things.

But now Ray wasn't next to him and that was bad because if he was alright he would sit next to him because he was always next to him when he woke up.

Gavin sat up quickly, his heart beating loud in his ears as he looked around. No Jack, no Geoff.

No Ryan.

But Michael sitting against a tree with heavy lids and the knight was kneeling next to him, wrapping a bandage around his arm with careful touches.

They both looked exhausted but alive and that was all that mattered right now.

Lindsay tugged at his arm and he turned his attention back to her, trying to get the smile from his face. It worked when he saw her serious expression: “I need to talk to you.”

“Alright.”, he muttered, letting her take his hand again.

“From now on I won't leave your side. I will attend to every meeting and every journey you take. There is nothing you are allowed to keep from me. Do you understand, my liege?”

His brows knitted in confusion at the title: “Why? What happened?”

“It's the deal your companions made with the First King and Jack. You should be glad for them.”, she explained. “You can ask them for the details later but for now I decide if you stay King or not. If I see the kingdom in danger I am allowed to kill you on the spot and without a warning.”

“So now... now Jack and Geoff will leave us alone? They won't attack and hunt us anymore?”

“For now, yes.”, she nodded, seeing the smile return to his face slowly. “Do you have a problem with that?”  
“No! No that is great! I'll do my best!”, he assured her and a visible weight fell from his shoulder. “I'm not the best King there is, so don't expect greatness in any way but I will try to do everything right! I promise!” His smile faltered a bit when he realized that this still didn't mean that Geoff and Jack trusted him but this was way more than he had hoped for.

“Alright.”, Lindsay said before letting go of his hand. “I'll stay here for now until you sent a fitting person to replace me. I would welcome it if you head out as soon as possible so I can follow you, how about tomorrow?”

He quickly shook his head: “I can’t. I still have to wait here some more. If you want I can sent Ray to the castle a-” His sentence trailed off when he saw her eyes grow cold.

“You are the King, Gavin. And if you really want to take the title your place isn't here.”

“But Ryan is still in the Nether! I said I'd g-”

“It's way too early for him to get out anyway-”

“But-!”

“There are more urgent matters! Your people need you!”

“Ryan needs me, too! What if his wounds are to-”

“Gavin!”, she hissed angrily and he flinched. “Is it already starting? Is this what a King should do? Make up your mind!”

Biting his lip, he lowered his gaze.

“ _Then I'll get you. You said you would do the same for me.”_

“ _Don't. You have more important things at hand.”_

He knew the answer already. “Sorry.”, Gavin mumbled ashamed. “I just wanted to make sure my friend is alright. Do you promise to take care of him if he comes out while you are still here?”

“Of course. Like I did before; nothing will change that.”

“Then I will head off tomorrow.”

“I'm glad to hear that.”, she gave him a small smile before nodding to the other two. “Go to them now.”

“Thank you.” Gavin stood up before he halted, turning back towards her: “I have one last question: What did you tell Jack that changed his mind? What did you say that we didn't?”

“I'm not sure.”, she muttered thoughtfully. “It was just when Michael screamed at him, calling him King Geoffreys mirror that I saw his face and it was like... like he knew they crossed a line? I'm not sure, I just don't know enough of the situation by now. So when I stood in front of him and he was debating to attack me or not... I simply asked him if what was happening was what he wanted. If whatever was going on was still part of their plan and if he was happy how it was right now.” She shrugged: “That seemed to be enough.”

“Thank you. Really.”, the king repeated, not finding the words to tell her how glad he was that she prevented another catastrophe. So he left her behind as he stepped towards the other two.

Ray had finished his job and was now sitting next to the sleepily warrior, the hurt arm still in his hands. When Gavin came closer, he looked up, smiling a bit shaken: “Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” The king sat down in front of them: “What about you?”

“Will heal.”, the knight muttered and Gavin threw him a worried look. His spirit were obviously low and he wasn't sure why.

“I'm fine, just really tired.”, Michael replied and yawned like he needed to prove his words. Blinking a few times, he grew more serious: “Did Lindsay tell you about the deal?”

The king nodded but before he could open his mouth Ray had already taken the word: “If anything they consider as inhuman or demon-like happens they will hunt us again. They will kill us if we make a mistake.”

“I know.”

“I'm a risk to you, Gavin.” His eyes found the green ones of the king: “I need to leave you.”

“No.”, came the answer calm and collected.

“I can't live with myself if I am a danger to you. To everyone of us.” He nodded towards Michaels arm: “You can't trust me. I don't have this thing under control.”

“You are Ray.”, Gavin simply said. “I told you that before and that means that I take you no matter what. And I also said that we are a team, didn't I?”

“I can't be a burden to you any longer.”  
“You are not and I won't rule this kingdom if you are not by my side. I refuse.”

Anger flashed over Rays face: “Please be reasonable! Maybe I can stay here – I can look after this place! Or I-”

“You are my knight and that's my last word.”, Gavin interrupted him fiercely. “And I won't take a no for an answer. We started this together and we will finish this together. It's way too late to back out now.”

Ray hissed quietly, before it turned into a distorted laugh: “What when I snap and hurt someone? Again. Jack and Geoff will come and kill us.”

“Then I die with you. I entrust this upon you, so please stay by my side.”

“You are an idiot.”

Gavin smiled at that before Michael took a hold on him, pulling him so that he sat between them. “You guys will make me puke one day.”, he said happily, his hurt arm draped across the kings shoulder while still resting on Ray.

“Love you, too.”, Gavin chuckled, letting their warmth spread through him.

Until Michael spoke again: “I actually want to stay here, if this is alright with you.”

“Why?”

“This seems to be a good place to think, you know. And I want to think about some things.” He looked ahead and Gavin followed his gaze, finding Lindsay on the other end of it. Ray beat him to the sheepish grin: “Make sure you think with the right body part.”

“Bite me, asshole.”

“I did already.”, he was shoved roughly but couldn't help but chuckle.

“Not for long anyway. Maybe for a week or so. To get my head clear. It was a pretty confusing time.”, the warrior admitted, growing serious again.

“You need this?”, Gavin asked, looking up to his friend.

“Yeah.”

“Then it's alright. Come back whenever you feel ready for it. You will always have a place in the castle, you know that.”

“Thank you.”

 

They said their goodbyes at the dawn of the next day. It was short because they wouldn't be separated for long, or at least Michael tried to tell himself that. It still felt different somehow.

They had changed, Nether or not. He wondered if it was for the best.

“Maybe we will bring Ryan with us when we come back.”, he said and Gavin beamed at the thought of it. Then he and Ray turned around, waving before vanishing between the trees.

They looked changed, he thought. Ray much smaller without his coat but still deadly and Gavin looked a bit taller. Not so lanky anymore. Maybe that was the crown he wore.

With a sigh he turned around, finding Lindsay next to him. She grinned a bit: “Wanted to tell you something since I met you.”

“Oh yeah?”

“I like your scar. It's a battle scar, right? Really cool.”

Michael couldn't help but blush.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much for that.  
> I hope you guys enjoyed it! It's maybe not the ending you'd have expected but I like open ends a lot (they leave me room for a sequel maybe?)  
> And lastly I thank you guys so much! It was so much fun to write and see your reactions to it! This was my first longer story I wrote in english and the first one I dared to publish and damn I was so nervous! But all you guys were so nice to me; thank you so much!  
> So I was thinking if you guys were interested I could add a little trivia-chapter? With different informations and headcanons for this story and mentions of scenes that didn't make it in the end-draft? Maybe even alternative endings for some scenes? I told my beta some of them and he said they were interesting, so maybe? Just tell me and I will add it!


	16. Authors Note

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So wow, you guys were all so eager for the trivia that I hurried and got all the infos together! I hope I don't dissapoint any of you because it's just a little something! But my Beta said there were some interesting points in it so maybe you will like it?  
> Again thanks for all the lovely and amazing feedback I got for this story! Damn, this still feels sureal to me! This story grew thanks to each and every comment I got and you made this such a fun experience for me. I can't thank you enough for that!

 

_Welcome to your life_   
_There's no turning back_   
_Even while we sleep_   
_We will find you_   
_Acting on your best behavior_   
_Turn your back on Mother Nature_

  
_Everybody wants to rule the world_

 

 

How I got into this mess:

This story came to me at 2 in the morning while I was trying to sleep. I was listening to _Everybody wants to rule the world_ by _Lorde_ (hence the title) and was wondering why you couldn't find any fanart of Michael taking Rays throne. Isn't that one of the most interesting things in the AU?! You can find bloody and cruel pictures to every other dethronement but not for them?

So I started to wonder what could bring Michael to kill his good friend? And from that it went downhill.

I started this story, thinking that it was going to be a small project to occupy me while I was learning for my exams. So the plan was original to have two chapters for each king, all around the ten pages mark. I wrote 1000 words each day which is a comfortable length for me.

Needless to say it didn't quite work out at the end and the story became way bigger than I had predicted.

The final and longest chapter was 23 pages long and I was writing around 2000 words a day to get it out (nearly) on time.

First off, as weird as it may sound; I don't plan ahead. When I started to write this I had no idea were I was heading or what the ending was going to be. It's way more fun to surprise myself while writing than knowing everything from the start!

So my “notes” contained only like three points of minor things I shouldn't forget and I planned the chapters out the moment I got to them. Before that there were only some key points like the death-scenes and who will become the next king.

Where the whole demon-thing came from? I don't have a clue but I really liked the idea of it! Also I am a huge fan of characters and their development and crashing them down to build them back up – I love doing that! And give me some interesting relationship and I am done with fangirling over that.

 

 

_It's my own desire_   
_It's my own remorse_   
_Help me to decide_   
_Help me make the most of freedom_   
_And of pleasure_   
_Nothing ever lasts forever_

  
_Everybody wants to rule the world_

 

 

Some trivia:

Chapter 2: King Ryan I

\- the nameless woman that Michael was forced to kill was a mother who had neglected her children. For Ryan this is a major crime so he decided to punish her. By this point in the story I couldn't reveal that because Ryan was still “the bad guy”

 

Chapter 3: King Ryan II

\- You wonder what Gavin and Ryan talked about? Well me, too. I had their conversation completely planned out but seeing that it would reveal that Gavin came from the Nether too soon I decided not to use it. And then I forget it – sorry guys!

 

Chapter 4: King Ray I

\- Lindsay was suppose to be introduced in this chapter as the Queen of Fieldhollow

 

Chapter 5: King Ray II

\- Gavin reacts so badly about the executions and refuses to watch them because they spark his nightmares

\- I first planned that Michael was going to kill Ray in a rage-fit but this turned around while writing

because I noticed that Ray was way more on edge than Michael

 

Chapter 7: King Michael II

\- I actually didn't plan to keep Michael alive but I wanted to avoid writing a fighting scene between him and Ryan at all cost because I suck at those. Also I felt like this was kinda getting repetitive with the death scenes

\- if Michael would have died his gift was going to be a shield that either wasn't able to protect himself or _only_ himself, but I couldn't decide which I liked better.

\- in the last scene after Gavin believes that Michael was killed Ryan doesn't answer him because he wouldn't be able to control his voice.

 

Chapter 8: King Ryan I

\- at the beginning of the chapter Gavin is in the dungeon and calls for Michael, he actually hears an answer. We later learn that Michael was also in the dungeon so Gavin actually did hear him and it wasn't one of those voices in his head.

\- there are a few incidents while Gavin is sick were Ryan nearly tells him that Michael is still alive but he keeps his promise in the end.

 

Chapter 10: King Ryan III

\- this was suppose to be the final of the story for the longest time until I got some more ideas to continue. I had also hoped to have the King Gavin LP by the time I got there, ha!

 

Chapter 11: King Gavin I

\- it was while writing the conversation between Gavin and Ryan that I realized how much in common they had. One left behind by his father and one forced to leave behind his son. Facepalmed myself because I didn't think of that sooner

\- I took the sword, shield and mirror comparison from the song Viva la Vida from Coldplay which is also the song for the first chapter

 

Chapter 12: King Gavin II

\- The scene at the beginning in which Gavin and Ryan discuss the demon-theory Ryan is already sure that Gavin might not be human. He decides not to tell him and figures it doesn't matter.

\- the festival-scene was an idea of my Beta and first contained Gavin sneaking out and going to the festival with Jack. But I figured Jack wasn't going to allow him so I changed it. Hence why Michael says “Jack would have never allowed us to go onto the festival!”

\- Ryan is a huge softy and keeps that gingerbread in his room.

\- the scene between Michael and Ray on the roof was added after I already finished the chapter but I got the idea one morning and just had to write it!

\- after 12 chapters we finally got all six main-charas in one room!

 

Chapter 13: King Geoff I 

\- the whole reason why Geoff didn't make a contract with a demon was because I couldn't decide what his gift was going to be

\- on the other hand Jacks gift would have been enchantment

\- I had the worst trouble with this chapter. Went back and erased some stuff I didn't like and started all over again. Ray meeting Michael had never been planned but I am happy that it did happen

 

Chapter 14: King Geoff II

\- Gavins wound wasn't going to infect and simply heal until my Beta mentioned I should burn it out. How could I resist? It's also the favorite scene of my Beta.

\- I wasn't sure if I should include the scene were Ray and Gavin play in the rain but it was voted into the story by my Beta. He figured it was going to break more spirits

\- there was a brief version were Gavin died instead of Ryan

\- the story of how the lads met was suppose to be in the first chapter

\- Ryans death was actually way crueler but I felt sorry for the poor guy and tuned it down

 

Chapter 15: King Geoff III

\- I decided on the final the morning I started writing it, literally had no idea where I was going with it. Most reason I chose this version because it bugged me that Michael was the only person who never met Lindsay

\- Michael overtook this chapter easily and I couldn't get him to shut the fuck up, but his speech is probably my most favorite scene in the last chapter

\- again there were brief versions of death-scenes in my head; for the most part I had planned to kill Ray but I couldn't bring myself to do that. Really fell in love with that little rascal

\- the final scene between Geoff and Gavin was the hardest one to write in this story. Even thought it was merely around 1000 words it took me the whole day.

 

 

 

_There's a room where the light won't find you_   
_Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down_   
_When they do, I'll be right behind you_   
_So glad we've almost made it_   
_So sad we had to fade it_

  
_Everybody wants to rule the world_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a little scene following next week. Nothing much and mainly to give me some time to work on the sequel to this. I have some scenes already done but I am glad for every idea you guys have! So if you have a suggestion be sure to tell me! If it's here or on youtube or on my tumblr; I am glad for each and every message!  
> Also I hope you don't mind if we have a little more romance in the next part - don't worry; I am not someone who writes love stories. It will mainly be a subplot and implied, so tell me your thoughts about that?


	17. Extra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „I had a nightmare.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised; one last scene for this story! I decided to go for some fluff, we clearly didn't have enough of that!  
> It's nothing much, just a prompt I got from my Beta and how could I resist this?  
> Also check out the sweet sketch Rachel showed me of Rays rose crown:  
> http://catboysam.tumblr.com/post/94379697810/heres-a-crappy-phone-pic-of-what-i-mentioned-to  
> Can't wait to see the finished version of this; thanks again my Dear!

„I had a nightmare.“

Michael groaned next to him before punching blindly, hitting Ray on the shoulder: “Shut your mouth.”

“You shut your mouth.” He reached for the curls while turning to his side, pulling lazily.

“'fight like a girl.”, Michael yawned.

“'least I am not one.”, he mumbled, happily over his own comeback before drifting to sleep. It was quiet for a moment before their blanket was pulled away: “I had a nightmare!”

Now he was awake, blinking tiredly until he made out a figure at the end of their bed. He tried not to be afraid by that, but his heart missed a beat as he remembered all the monsters of his childhood all to well. Not that he was out of his childhood in any way but he liked to believe that being ten years old meant he was in some form mature enough not to get scared easily. He was wrong.

Covering at Michaels side, he tried to get used to the darkness while fearing what he was going to see.

“Gavin?”, Michael sat up, sounding alerted. “Is everything alright?”

“I had a nightmare.”, he whispered again and this time it sounded crushed as if he was on the verge of tears. He sniffed pathetic, the blanket tightly clutched to his small chest.

Seeing that it was their friend, Ray sighed before turning his back to them, figuring his sleep was way more important than this hoax. Michael wasn't having it: “Come in.”

“Why do you have to play mother hen in the middle of the night?”, Ray groaned when the bed shifted. “How about in the morning? You could bring me breakfa-” Someones knee hit him in the stomach and he lost the breath to finish the sentence. It took a while until they had settled, Gavin now in the middle of them with his face buried in Michaels shoulder. It was a tight fit, Ray was balancing on the edge of the bed but he didn't say anything now that he felt the other shiver against him.

“They took Geoff and Jack to that place.”, Gavin suddenly whispered. “But they do that every time but this time they also took you. I had to check.”

His hair stood on end on those words and Ray felt the fear from before settle back in. He shifted a bit closer to the others, not liking that his legs were dangling of the edge.

“Who did take us?”

“I don't know anymore.”, he sighed as he snuggled closer, trying to get back to rest when Michael abruptly stood up. Ray flinched at the movement, nearly falling out of the bed. “What are you doing?”, he whispered harshly.

“Wait here.”, he turned towards the door when Gavin started to whimper. “Don't! Please Michael; they will take you!”

“Bullshit.” It didn't sound all to sure though. Still he stepped outside.

Taking the blanket, Gavin wrapped it around himself, scooting closer to the other boy. Ray sat up, nervous now in the sudden silence and Gavin quickly climbed in his lap. For a moment he wanted to protest but right now it was welcome because what if there really were some monsters coming for them? What if they took Michael?

Hiding his face in the others messy hair, he waited with a pounding heart for any signs of movement around them. He was a knight after all! Well, maybe soon. Like, in a few years. And then he had to protect the king! And Gavin was nearly the king so he had to look after him right now!

Biting his lips determined, he wrapped his arms around the still shivering form, trying to remember everything he had learned.

Monster, ha! They weren't even real! He was stronger than the-

Both he and Gavin screamed embarrassingly high when the door opened. Michael jumped at the sound, raising the simple wooden sword out of instinct before stepping closer: “Really Ray? Even you?”

“Shut up.”, he muttered.

“Get back to bed, losers.”, he chuckled before sitting down on the floor, the weapon in his hands. “I'll beat every monster into a pulp so you can sleep.”

 

When Ray woke up in the morning it took some time to orientate himself. Gavin had his arms tightly wrapped around his neck, his head nuzzled against his chest as they laid on the bed. A snoring was heard from the edge and he peeked to find Michael in the same position as yesterday. The sword still loosely in his hands and Gavins twitching foot kicking against his head.

Wanting to go back to sleep, Ray slowly drifted off. He was ready to drool some more on Gavins hair when the door was suddenly blasted open, making all three of them nearly jump out of their skin.

And so Michael nearly attack the guards that were searching for the missing prince. Too bad for them that King Geoffrey was among them, who wasn't even remotely mad at them, he rather gushed at their cuteness.

It took years until they lived that down.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked it! I'm not really good with writing cute stuff but I don't get better if I don't try, right?  
> So the sequel is growing; I'm on chapter 2 and I already added some of your ideas into it, more to come - thank you guys for that!  
> The next time I see you will be in Royalty Part 2; Glory & Gore - I look forward to it!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [This Crown is Stained in Blood and Tears](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3866089) by [kilobyte](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kilobyte/pseuds/kilobyte)




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